Texas DPS: 20+ suspected Tren de Aragua gang members arrested in El Paso’s Gateway Hotel
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to ABC-7 today that law enforcement officers arrested "more than 20 suspected" Tren de Aragua gang members in a recent operation at the Gateway Hotel in downtown El Paso. DPS says the gang members were charged with an array of crimes, including human smuggling, prostitution, and possession of illegal drugs. ABC-7 had previously reported on law enforcement encounters with suspected Tren de Aragua members inside the hotel.
ABC-7 toured the Gateway Hotel while it was still operational. Read our reporting here.
Following Texas Governor Greg Abbott's news conference on September 16, in which he designated TdA as a terrorist organization and called El Paso "ground zero" for the gang's activity in the U.S., ABC-7 reached out to Texas DPS asking for back-up data related to a slide shown during the presentation.
That slide showed suspected and documented Tren de Aragua activity throughout certain parts of the state, including El Paso.
A spokesperson for Texas DPS responded to ABC-7's request for data today. The data, like the slide, shows a range of suspected Tren de Aragua gang activity across Texas, with a large concentration of arrests and encounters in the El Paso area. That includes alleged Tren de Aragua involvement in the March 2024 border riot.
"Earlier this year, more than 100 suspected TdA members were arrested on riot charges in connection with the March 21, 2024, incident near Gate 36 in El Paso," the spokesperson explained.
Texas DPS also provided ABC-7 with additional information on the suspected Tren de Aragua gang member arrested in West Texas earlier this month, explaining that the person was arrested for human smuggling.
Texas DPS data also shows suspected TdA activity in the Houston, Dallas, South Texas, and San Antonio area.
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott followed up his Tren de Aragua terrorist designation with the announcement of a $5,000 reward for information on suspected TdA activity.
