The Trump administration attempted to deport alleged members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) who were detained in Texas. The administration initially planned to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 for these deportations before the US Supreme Court ruled against the deportations under this law. Following this ruling, the government was barred from removing Venezuelans held in a Texas detention center until further court orders. However, the administration argued that the detainees had been adequately notified in advance of their removals and had time to file habeas claims.
The TdA gang, recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Department of State, has thousands of members, with many illegally infiltrating the US and engaging in hostile activities against the country. Photos of the suspected TdA members who were detained in Texas were released by the administration, showing tattoos, weapons, jewelry, and money. Each suspected member had prior criminal convictions and current charges. Some of the detainees identified as Venezuelan citizens and confirmed TdA members facing potential deportation included individuals with pending criminal charges for assault, possession of weapons, aggravated assault, larceny, and drug-related offenses.
Among the individuals identified as TdA members who were facing potential deportation were individuals with pending criminal charges for assault, possession of weapons, aggravated assault, larceny, and drug-related offenses. These individuals included Henry Jose Romero-Gonzalez, Alessandro Benedikt Parades-Worwa, Cristian Andres Andrade-Vargas, Norge Yunaifer Rosales-Ceballos, Felix Josue Rendon-Garcia, Darrin Moises Daza-Segura, Ronny Javier Rodriguez-Tovar, Howard Emis Omana, and Angel Ignacio Cardenas-Bravo. These individuals had various criminal histories and were facing deportation for their involvement in criminal activities.
Romero-Gonzalez, facing criminal charges for assault, weapons offenses, and crimes against a person, was pictured in a sports car holding a gun. Parades-Worwa faced charges for aggravated assault and had various tattoos. Andrade-Vargas had charges for larceny and dangerous drugs and was shown with tattoos above his left eyebrow. Rosales-Ceballos had convictions for criminal flight and charges for alien smuggling and resisting an officer, with a tattoo on his neck behind his right ear. Rendon-Garcia was charged with drug possession and possession of dangerous drugs, with a visible tattoo. Daza-Segura had convictions for burglary and larceny, with tattoos including “VIDA” on his knuckles. Rodriguez-Tovar had multiple convictions for various offenses and had charges for battery, resisting an officer, and driving under the influence, pictured with an electronic device with T.D.A. and Venezuela written on it.
Omana faced charges for aggravated assault with a weapon, shown in social media posts holding a gun and displaying gang signs. Cardenas-Bravo had charges for aggravated assault, child neglect, resisting an officer, domestic violence battery, carrying a concealed gun, and possession of a gun during a felony. The Trump administration’s attempt to deport these alleged TdA gang members was met with legal challenges and a ruling from the Supreme Court against their deportation under the Alien Enemies Act. The detainees had been notified of their pending deportations and had the opportunity to file claims challenging their removal from the US.
