Cruz, Roy Demand Transparency on Venezuelan Gang from Mayorkas

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) have sent a letter to Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas regarding the infiltration of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) in Texas and throughout the United States.

Sen. Cruz and Rep. Roy stated that President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) have “imported” this ruthless gang into the nation.

The Biden-Harris administration has imported Venezuelan illegal aliens at an alarming rate, allowing criminals – including the gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) – to gain a foothold in Texas and communities throughout the United States. Texans and the American people deserve better,” the legislator’s letter begins.

They would later state in the correspondence that TdA members are believed to have been involved with the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray as well as other “heinous” immoral crimes.

“Alleged TdA affiliates have committed heinous crimes against Americans. The two Venezuelan illegal aliens charged with raping and murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray before tossing her dismembered body into a Houston bayou, both of whom were released under your tenure after they unlawfully crossed into Texas earlier this year, are believed to have ties to TdA,” wrote Sen. Cruz and Rep. Roy. “Further, on October 4, 2024, authorities announced the arrest of three additional Venezuelan illegal aliens in Northwest Dallas in September for their alleged involvement in a robbery of a woman who was tied-up and told that her fingers would be cut off if she did not comply during the crime.”

Furthermore, the Texas legislators reminded Secretary Mayorkas that TdA had been involved in the sex trafficking of illegal immigrants across the southern border.

“Additionally, TdA has subjected illegal aliens smuggled into the U.S. to sex trafficking,” said Cruz and Roy. “The South American ring is forcing illegal alien women into prostitution in eight states, including Texas, to pay off their smuggling debts, rendering them vulnerable to all forms of abuse.”

They concluded by saying both law enforcement and the Texas community “deserve answers” regarding the potency of the Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO).

“Our law enforcement community and the Texans they serve deserve answers on the scope of infiltration of TCOs under this administration,” wrote Cruz and Roy.

They also demanded answers to the following by Oct. 31:

1. Please provide a full accounting of the number of Venezuelans released into the country via CHNV, other forms of parole, release after apprehension at the border, or otherwise, including:
   1. The last known whereabouts of each Venezuelan, broken down by state.
   2. The number of Venezuelans released into the United States without identification documents and their last known whereabouts, broken down by state.
   3. The number of released Venezuelans that have committed a crime in the United States, and their last known whereabouts, broken down by state.
   4. The number of released Venezuelans with known or suspected gang affiliations and their last known whereabouts, broken down by state.
   5. The number of released Venezuelans that are known or suspected members of TdA.
   6. The number of Venezuelans paroled into the United States that have since been removed, and the reason for their removal.
   7. The number of Venezuelans released from the southern border that received a Notice to Appear.
   8. The number of Venezuelans released from the southern border that received a Notice to Report.

1. How many criminal aliens has DHS arrested in the United States as of January 2021? Please include the following information:
   1. Date of arrest, location of arrest, date of the alien crossing the border, date of release from the border, gang affiliation (if applicable), criminal charges received, previous criminal history, country of origin, and current status (is the alien detained at an ICE facility, on the non-detained docket, or was removed from the U.S.).
   2. How many of these criminal aliens have charges and/or convictions for human trafficking, child exploitation, or forced labor at the federal or local level?
   3. Of all criminal aliens arrested in Texas, how many have a detainer placed by ICE?

1. What future operations does DHS and/or ICE plan to conduct to mitigate TdA’s presence in Texas?

1. What other transnational criminal organizations are present in Texas that DHS has detected?

1. What policies or action has DHS implemented to recruit the cooperation of sanctuary jurisdictions in Texas that limit or refuse to cooperate with federal immigration detainers and/or authorities?