The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday that over two dozen individuals identified as current or former members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have been charged with crimes including murder, sex trafficking, and other offenses under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).
This marks the first time that alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a criminal group originating in Venezuelan prisons, have been prosecuted under the RICO statute, which is designed to combat organized crime, the department noted in its statement.
The charges against the 27 individuals are part of a wider initiative by President Donald Trump’s administration to target and remove members of international criminal organizations operating in the U.S. The Trump administration has officially designated Tren de Aragua and similar groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
In March, President Trump invoked the rarely used Alien Enemies Act—originally intended for wartime measures—to deport hundreds of alleged members of Tren de Aragua to a high-security prison in El Salvador, bypassing standard deportation procedures.
Despite frequent claims from Trump administration officials that detained migrants are affiliated with violent gangs, there has often been limited evidence presented in court to substantiate those allegations.
According to the Justice Department, the new charges include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms violations. Of the 27 individuals charged, 21 are already in federal custody.
The department further stated that six of the accused are active members of Tren de Aragua, while 19 are said to belong to a breakaway group known as Anti-Tren. Two additional individuals are described as associates of the splinter faction.
Attorney General Pam Bondi expressed confidence that the charges would significantly weaken the gang’s network, stating that the government is committed to “completely dismantling and purging this organization from our country.”
