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Texas DPS officers apprehended four individuals confirmed to be members of the Tren de Aragua gang following their illegal entry into the United States from Mexico. The arrests occurred when the gang members crossed alongside 18 other migrants representing various nationalities on December 31st.

The announcement came from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who stated, “Earlier this week, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers identified and arrested four vicious TdA gang members attempting to illegally cross the border from Mexico into the state.”

The incident took place during a routine Operation Lone Star border security patrol, where DPS troopers encountered a group of 22 unauthorized entrants from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. Law enforcement detained 11 individuals on criminal trespass charges, while family groups were transferred to Border Patrol custody. During processing, authorities identified nine of the detainees as Venezuelan citizens.

Further investigation by DPS special agents revealed that four of the Venezuelan nationals were active members of the notoriously violent Tren de Aragua gang.

The authorities identified the confirmed gang members as Segundo Ocando-Mejia, 39; Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, 27; Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas, 18; and Levi Jesus Urrutia-Blanco, 18. Officials noted that Ocando-Mejia displayed gang-related tattoos on his shoulders, suggesting a possible leadership position within the organization.

Abbott reinforced his stance on border security, stating, “I designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization, and we will not tolerate this gang operating or gaining a foothold in Texas.” He added, “Until President Trump is back in the White House to secure our border, Texas will continue to hunt down dangerous criminals like TdA and put them behind bars to protect Texans from this vicious gang.”