The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly given the green light to refugee applications for members of a Venezuelan gang that is causing trouble in various states in the U.S. Efforts have been stepped up to track and deport these individuals who are part of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Kevin Grigsby, who heads refugee operations at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, informed officials in an internal email that members of Tren de Aragua had been granted refugee status and managed to enter the U.S. before another agency noticed their gang-related tattoos. They were then prevented from entering the country, as reported by The Washington Times.
Unfortunately, the tattoos were not inquired about during the approval process, and it was not recognized that the tattoos indicated gang affiliation,” Grigsby mentioned in an email on Sept. 16. The gang is believed to have originated in the Tocoron prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua and has since spread to other countries including the U.S.
The gang has been growing in the U.S. amid the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border. States like New York, Texas, and Colorado have been grappling with crimes allegedly committed by members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The DHS has confirmed that over 100 migrants with ties to the gang have been identified, but it is not recommending that they be added to an FBI watchlist.
The agency has flagged more than 600 migrants with potential connections to the gang, but many of them are believed to be relatives, victims, or witnesses of crimes committed by the gang. DHS is conducting an ongoing operation to combat the gang by rescreening individuals who have been encountered previously, in addition to conducting thorough screenings at the border.
Those confirmed or suspected to be gang members will either face prosecution or be subject to expedited removal, a deportation process that allows for the swift removal of illegal immigrants. The rescreening process includes individuals who are already in custody, potential victims or witnesses who are not suspected gang members, and others who may have no involvement with the gang.
Former President Trump recently announced plans to utilize the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to target and dismantle illegal migrant criminal networks operating in the U.S. Tren de Aragua has also become a topic of discussion in the presidential election.
Adam Shaw, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital who covers immigration and border security, can be contacted at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.