~ In a recent press release, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) had successfully arrested four confirmed members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang as they attempted to illegally cross the border into Texas on New Year's Eve.

According to Governor Abbott, the safety and security of Texans is their top priority, especially in light of the growing threat posed by TdA. The arrests were made as part of Operation Lone Star, a statewide operation launched by the governor in September to aggressively target and disrupt TdA's criminal operations in Texas.

The DPS troopers encountered a group of 22 illegal immigrants from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela on December 31st in Val Verde County. Of these individuals, 11 were arrested for criminal trespass and referred to Border Patrol for processing. Among them were nine Venezuelan nationals who claimed they were heading to various cities in Texas.

Upon further investigation and interviews with DPS Special Agents, it was suspected that four of the males may have been members of TdA due to their tattoos. With consent to search their cell phones, Special Agents were able to verify their gang affiliation through social media apps.

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The four confirmed TdA gang members arrested on New Year's Eve have been identified as Segundo Ocando-Mejia (39), Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo (27), Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas (18), and Levi Jesus Urrutia-Blanco (18). Ocando-Mejia's tattoos indicated that he may hold rank or leadership within the gang.

Governor Abbott had previously designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and directed DPS to elevate them to a Tier 1 gang. He also created a TdA Strike Team specifically tasked with identifying and arresting members of the gang.

In addition, Governor Abbott's Public Safety Office is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of known or suspected TdA gang members involved in criminal activity. The public is encouraged to report any TdA activity to help combat the gang's presence in Texas.

Governor Abbott emphasized that until President Trump is back in the White House to secure the border, Texas will continue to take action against dangerous criminals like TdA and put them behind bars. He reiterated his commitment to protecting Texans from this vicious gang and urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity related to TdA.

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