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Texas Gov. Abbott designates Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, as a foreign terrorist organization

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Texas Gov. Abbott designates Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, as a foreign terrorist organization

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the state is taking an aggressive stand against the violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA) and declaring the group a “foreign terrorist organization.”

During a press conference in Houston on Monday, Abbott announced that Texas is launching a comprehensive, statewide operation that will aggressively target the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua also know as (TdA) to disrupt their criminal operations and deny their foothold in the state during a press conference in Houston.

“Today in Houston, I designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Texas will aggressively target them to disrupt their criminal activities & deny their foothold in our state,” Abbott said in a post on x. “Texas is the wrong state for them to do business in.”

Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to elevate the TdA to a Tier 1 gang and to create a TdA Strike Team that will identify and arrest TdA gang members.

AURORA PD ARRESTS 10 MEMBERS OF TREN DE ARAGUA IN CONNECTION WITH APARTMENT BUILDING TAKEOVERS: STATEMENT

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced the state is going to target a Venezuelan gang that he said was notorious for brutal violence and murder and posed a threat to Texans’ safety. (X/@GregAbbott_TX)

“The recent entry and expansion of the vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is a dangerous and deadly problem facing our state and nation,” said Governor Abbott. “Our top focus is the safety and security of all Texans.”

“Our goal is to defend Texas from the growing threat of the gang. We will not let them use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens. They have a target on their back, and we are going after them,” Abbott continued.

Gov. Abbott was joined by DPS Director Steve McCraw, Texas Border Czar Mike Banks, and National Border Patrol Council Vice President Chris Cabrera.

ICE CONFIRMS AURORA, COLORADO GANG MEMBERS ARE IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY, RELEASED BY BIDEN ADMIN

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“Tren de Aragua gangsters are like cockroaches,” said DPS Director McCraw. “They multiply quickly; small intrusions into communities become infestations if not aggressively pursued. These Venezuelan thugs are highly combative, violent, and certainly adaptable.” 

“They’re always involved in situations that first start with human smuggling. Then they are involved in the extortion, kidnappings, rape, assaults, and sex trafficking of migrants. Governor Abbott has made it very clear: We will not allow any of these gangsters to gain a foothold in Texas,” McCraw vowed.

With this designation, Texas will be able to use the courts to curb the gang’s criminal operations, use civil asset forfeiture to take their property, and enhance criminal penalties during prosecution. 

Last year, Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 1900 into law that defined transnational drug cartels and criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations in the State of Texas and increased penalties for the distribution of illegal drugs and the operation of stash houses.

The TdA has also wreaked havoc in Colorado.

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VIOLENT VENEZUELAN PRISON GANG INFILTRATING US, BECOMING MORE ORGANIZED AND BRAZEN: ‘MS-13 ON STEROIDS’

Four Venezuelan nationals were confirmed to be in the United States illegally in a statement provided to Fox News by ICE on Thursday. (Aurora Police Department, Eduard Romero)

Four Venezuelan national members of the Tren de Aragua gang arrested in Aurora have been confirmed as illegal aliens, per a previous statement from an ICE spokesperson to Fox News.

The Venezuelan nationals, ranging in ages from 19 through 24, all crossed the southern border through Texas illegally in 2022 and 2023, under the Biden administration. All four were arrested by Aurora police and ICE has placed detainer requests on two of them.

The four were arrested after a shooting which occurred near Nome Street Apartments, one of the apartment buildings in Aurora which had reportedly been overtaken by armed members of Tren de Aragua.

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The Tren de Aragua is based mainly in Venezuela and has roughly 5,000 members between the South American country and the United States.

According to the House Committee on Homeland Security, there have been at least 7.8 million encounters with illegal aliens at the southwest border during the Biden administration. ICE makes determinations on a case-by-case basis.

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.  

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Los Angeles, Ca

Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District

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Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District

Events and protests were held in downtown Los Angeles Saturday on the one-year anniversary of one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in California.

One June 6, 2025, federal agents stormed the L.A. Fashion District, arresting and detaining dozens of workers.

The enforcement action served as a catalyst, igniting a wave of subsequent raids across Southern California. In response, city leaders affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the immigrant communities” in Los Angeles, as events were held throughout the city to remember those who were deported and those whose immigration cases remain unresolved.

Protesters advocating for immigrant communities gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Saturday, waving flags and signs. One woman was arrested during a clash with police.

Protesters face off with police in downtown L.A. on the one-year-anniversary of a large ICE raid. (KTLA)

The initial raid in the L.A. Garment District swept up workers, including the father of one woman who described the experience as “one of the most traumatic experiences” of their lives. This operation was among the first deportation actions that resulted in families being separated and triggered days of civil unrest.

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At a commemoration event, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A. stood together, vowing to protect immigrant communities living in fear.

“We all felt attacked, and I think what’s so critical today, is to know and remember and acknowledge that this is still going on every day,” Bass said.

While the Department of Homeland Security maintains that its enforcement operations target criminals, families of those detained argue that immigration enforcement terrorizes hardworking people. These families contend that many immigrants pay taxes and contribute to society, even if they are not U.S. citizens.

Immigration attorneys report that thousands of individuals are still trying to locate their loved ones. They also highlighted that hundreds of people swept up in immigration raids last year remain detained in facilities, facing medical neglect, inhumane conditions and the denial of basic due process protections.

Watch the full report from KTLA’s Sara Welch in the video at the top of this story.

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All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTLA. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTLA staff before being published.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

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Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.

According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday. 

“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.” 

The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.

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Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.

No further details were immediately available.

Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away. 

Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

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Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.

On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.

She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.

Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach on June 3, 2026. (Long Beach Police Department)

“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.

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The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355. 

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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