Trump and Adams Unite Against Tren de Aragua Gang \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Former President Trump’s border czar and NYC Mayor Adams announced charges against 27 suspected Tren de Aragua members. The gang, linked to sex trafficking and armed robbery, faces federal racketeering charges. The move underscores growing cooperation between Adams and the Trump administration.
Quick Looks
- Key Players: Trump’s border czar Thomas Homan, NYC Mayor Eric Adams
- Main Event: Federal charges filed against 27 Tren de Aragua suspects
- Gang Background: Venezuelan gang known for trafficking and violent crimes
- Legal Strategy: Use of Alien Enemies Act and federal RICO statutes
- Adams’ Position: Publicly supports federal enforcement on immigrant gangs
- Controversy: Rikers Island ICE facility blocked by judge pending hearing
- Gang Activity: Trafficking, armed robberies, smuggling, violent threats
- New Arrests: Five suspects captured in latest federal raids
- Public Safety Focus: Adams frames move as protection of “hardworking Americans”
Deep Look
In a politically charged and highly coordinated move, former President Donald Trump’s border czar, Thomas Homan, stood side by side with New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday to announce sweeping federal charges against 27 individuals linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, a violent criminal group originally formed in Venezuela.
The high-profile press conference highlighted the deepening cooperation between the Trump-aligned federal immigration apparatus and New York City’s Democratic-turned-independent mayor. The duo presented a united front against what they described as an escalating threat from international gangs infiltrating U.S. cities under the guise of the migrant crisis.
Adams, facing re-election as an independent and distancing himself from national Democratic positions on immigration, has embraced Trump’s hardline stance. The former president recently dropped unrelated corruption charges against Adams, citing a need to allow the mayor to focus on public safety in the nation’s largest city.
The 27 individuals charged are allegedly members or associates of Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal group accused of sex trafficking, drug smuggling, armed robbery, and extortion across the Western Hemisphere. Federal prosecutors described this case as the first in the U.S. to use federal racketeering charges (RICO) — a tactic once used to dismantle the Mafia — against members of this Venezuelan gang.
Who Is Tren de Aragua?
Tren de Aragua, often abbreviated as TDA, was founded in Venezuela more than a decade ago. The gang has gained notoriety for its brutal tactics and broad criminal operations, including kidnappings, human trafficking, and illicit drug trade in multiple countries including Peru, Chile, Colombia, and the U.S. Authorities have tied the group to the smuggling of vulnerable Venezuelan women into sex trafficking rings, enforced through intimidation, debt bondage, and violence.
Federal prosecutors say the women, referred to as “multadas,” were coerced into prostitution as a means of repaying smuggling debts. Gang members reportedly threatened them with assault or death if they resisted or tried to escape.
The Legal Breakdown
The indictments are split into two cases: one against six confirmed Tren de Aragua members and another against 19 members of “Anti-Tren,” a breakaway faction formed by former TDA operatives.
Among those charged is Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, a 26-year-old previously arrested during immigration enforcement operations in the Bronx. Zambrano-Pacheco also appears in a viral video from Aurora, Colorado, where a heavily armed group was caught on surveillance forcing their way into an apartment. The incident fueled fears that TDA had gained control over parts of the Denver suburbs.
As of Tuesday, 21 of the 27 suspects are in custody, with the latest arrests made in operations across New York and other cities. Six remain at large.
The Role of Federal Immigration and ICE
Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown includes invoking the Alien Enemies Act, a centuries-old law from 1798 that grants the president authority to deport foreign nationals considered dangerous during wartime. Though rarely used, Trump has applied the statute to label Tren de Aragua as an “invading force.”
Adams has further aligned himself with federal immigration enforcement by proposing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operate offices inside Rikers Island, the city’s main jail complex. However, a New York judge halted the plan on Monday, pending a court hearing scheduled for April 25, following a lawsuit filed by the City Council.
Despite opposition from progressive lawmakers and civil rights groups, Adams stood firm:
“We’re not going to be a safe harbor for criminals,” he said. “The American dream is not shooting at police officers. It’s not smuggling women into prostitution.”
A Political Realignment?
Tuesday’s announcement is also emblematic of a larger political pivot for Mayor Adams. His increasingly tough-on-crime and anti-gang rhetoric has distanced him from progressive Democrats and drawn closer alignment with Trump-era immigration policies. While some criticize the approach as opportunistic, Adams insists it’s about public safety, not partisanship.
Homan also addressed the collaboration:
“This is what collaboration looks like,” he said. “I’m not asking NYPD to act as ICE. I’m asking them to work with us to tackle serious threats.”
As Adams eyes re-election, and Trump continues his campaign with immigration at the center of his platform, both leaders appear to be leveraging this partnership as proof of results-driven governance amid rising concerns about public safety and border security.
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