The Trump admninistration has invoked a 227 year old law, the Alien Enemies Act, to target Tren de Aragua, a gang with its roots in the prisons of Venezuela. Who are they and how wide is their reach?

When the U.S. government deported 177 Venezuelans on Feb. 20, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security alleged that 80 of the deportees were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. U.S. news outlets report that members have set up shop in at least 16 states and are “wreaking havoc on communities across the nation.