A Venezuelan national, suspected of being a member of the violent Tren de Aragua gang, has been arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, near President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, according to a senior U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) official.

Jeffrey Dinise, Chief Patrol Agent for the USBP Miami Sector, shared the news on social media Tuesday.
“U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Venezuelan national who was identified as a Tren de Aragua gang member,” Dinise wrote on X. “He has a criminal record for assault w/ a deadly weapon. Our agents continue to keep our communities safe.”

Palm Beach, FL: U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Venezuelan national who was identified as a 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚 gang member. He has a criminal record for assault w/ a deadly weapon. Our agents continue to keep our communities safe.  #palmbeach #borderpatrol #arrest pic.twitter.com/ni3qCvu9fI

— Jeffrey Dinise (@USBPChiefMIP) December 10, 2024

U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to provide further details when contacted by Fox News Digital.

The Tren de Aragua, whose origins trace back to the Tocoron prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state between 2013 and 2015, is a notorious gang known for its violent activities. According to a Department of Homeland Security memo cited by the New York Post, the gang has expanded its reach across 16 states and reportedly exploited lax border policies under the Biden-Harris administration to infiltrate U.S. communities.

This criminal organization is responsible for a range of violent crimes, including murders, assaults, and gun smuggling. It is also involved in drug dealing, sex trafficking of illegal immigrant women in New York City, and even seizing control of apartment buildings in some areas.

🚨BREAKING: Newly released video shows armed gang of Venezuelan illegals take over apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado.

Aurora, a quiet community with a population of 390,000 has become a base of operations for the brutal Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which already has… pic.twitter.com/mNW8FF5mXa

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) August 28, 2024

The New York Post reports that Tren de Aragua now operates in areas covering half of the U.S. population. Beyond New York City, the gang has established a presence in states including Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and North Carolina, with recent expansions into Washington, D.C., Virginia, Montana, and Wyoming, among others.

Authorities continue to monitor and address the gang’s growing footprint in the United States.

The American people have given Trump a mandate to enforce immigration law, but Democrat leaders say they will refuse to comply

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has spread to 16 states

There must be consequences for officials who continue to facilitate this invasion pic.twitter.com/yQyNR7icg7

— America (@america) November 19, 2024