DA Hicks speaks to media on Tren de Aragua’s presence in El Paso
UPDATE: El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks said in the news conference that Tren de Aragua (TDA) is in El Paso but wants to reassure the public that El Paso is still a safe city.
Hicks said he needed to speak publicly following comments from a news conference held by Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety where El Paso was called "ground zero" for Tren de Aragua activity.
“It's ground zero for what's coming into Texas and into the United States. But that doesn't mean that it's ground zero for TDA activity. And I think that needs to be clear. El Paso is not ground zero for TDA activity," said Hicks.
In relation to the Gateway Hotel allegedly housing TDA members, Hicks noted that was not the reason why the County sought to close the hotel. Hicks said that there were numerous violations related directly to the running and operations of the hotel.
Hicks says identifying TDA members is difficult because they operate differently and don't follow the same patterns they have seen with other gangs.
ABC-7 reported this week that Texas law enforcement officers will work to create a database to help identify the TDA members.
During the news conference, DA Hicks also mentioned that it was possible that there were a large number of Tren de Aragua members among the migrants who rioted at the border in March and April.
“It is also possible there were a great larger number of TDA gang members simply by who were looking at. A larger number of Venezuelan men in military age coming across at one time,” said Hicks.
Hicks says two people charged in connection to the riots are confirmed TDA members.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks will speak to the media Wednesday about a violent Venezuelan gang's presence in El Paso.
ABC-7 has been reporting on Tren de Aragua for months, but it wasn't until recently the transnational criminal organization has been making headlines for organizing and committing often violent crimes in El Paso and other U.S. cities.
Lask week, ABC-7 reported the Gateway Hotel in Downtown El Paso was housing suspected Tren de Aragua members. The hotel has since been shut down.
Hick's press conference will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday. ABC-7 will livestream online and on the KVIA News App.
