The Department of Homeland Security said there are more than 600 migrants in the country who might have connections to a dangerous Venezuelan gang, NBC News reported.
Roughly 100 of the 600 migrants DHS deemed “subjects of interest” were confirmed members of the gang, Tren de Aragua, whom the department recommended be placed on an FBI watchlist, NBC News reported.
Tren de Aragua (TDA) has a presence in 15 states and a possible presence in eight more, NBC News reported, citing DHS data.
DHS officials noted a spike in crime by gang members in the U.S., including sex trafficking in Louisiana and the shooting of two police officers in New York.
More than 100 people associated with TDA have been arrested for crimes since Oct. 22 and 75 have been arrested for immigration violations, according to the report.
“DHS has an ongoing operation to crack down on gang members through re-screening certain individuals previously encountered, in addition to the rigorous screening and vetting at the border,” a DHS spokesperson told NBC. “All individuals confirmed or suspected to be gang members are referred for criminal prosecution or detained and placed into expedited removal.”