US EditionMonths after detaining 47 people accused of being Tren de Aragua in Austin, authorities offer no evidence of gang ties
- In late March 2025, authorities in Austin detained 47 people, including nine children, during a raid on a birthday party alleged to be a Tren de Aragua gang gathering.
- The raid stemmed from a yearlong, multi-agency Operation Apex Hammer aimed at apprehending violent gang members and offenders, though officials have yet to provide evidence linking the detainees to the gang.
- Attendees described the event as a celebration, noted the use of flashbangs, and some denied gang association despite officers citing tattoos as suspicion, as criminologists dispute tattoo-based gang identification.
- Authorities arrested 35 Venezuelans on suspicion of illegal entry with removal orders pending, while experts and detained families reported due process violations and trauma from arrests without criminal charges.
- Months later, no gang ties have been demonstrated, raising concerns among experts about the Trump administration's broad deportation strategy relying on weak evidence and the impact on innocent families.
12 Articles
12 Articles
ICE swooped on kid's birthday party months ago. It still has given no evidence
"Months after detaining 47 people accused of being Tren de Aragua in Austin, authorities offer no evidence of gang ties" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and s...
International Media Seeks InSight Crime Expertise on Tren de Aragua
International Media Seeks InSight Crime Expertise on Tren de Aragua As international attention turns to US President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans, InSight Crime’s deputy director of content Mike LaSusa joined Al Jazeera’s podcast “The Take” to provide expert analysis on Tren de Aragua. The Venezuelan gang has recently become central to the US immigration debate, with Trump seizing on it to represent the threat of unauthorized migration …
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