The notorious Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua (TDA) has taken root in Tennessee’s major cities, bringing its brutal brand of crime and violence to the Volunteer State, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Director David Rausch warned this week during a budget hearing with Governor Bill Lee.

Tren de Aragua tattoos on a man arrested by the Border Patrol.
-U.S. Border Patrol

According to Rausch, the violent gang known for its brazen disregard for law enforcement, has returned to Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga - Tennessee’s four largest cities - after first being detected two years ago during a human trafficking bust.

"We uncovered a group here in a human trafficking operation, and in that operation we recognized a number of the members here trafficking females that they had abducted from Venezuela and brought here," Rausch said.

While initial arrests scattered some members of the gang, Rausch said they are now back and expanding their operations.

"Now what we are seeing is they are back," Rausch continued. "They are running human trafficking operations. That’s where they start."

Human Trafficking to Drug Wars: A Deadly Evolution

According to Rausch, TDA has a pattern of establishing themselves through human trafficking, then moving into organized retail theft and eventually drug trafficking, which often leads to bloody turf wars with other criminal organizations, including drug cartels.

"They have a pathway of violence, and we want people to be aware of that," Rausch cautioned. "They will battle for the drug trafficking in communities."

Tattoos on the neck of a man the U.S. Border Patrol arrested in May. It says the man is affiliated with the Venezuela-based gang Tren de Aragua.U.S. Border Patrol

The gang’s reputation for extreme violence sets it apart, with members showing little fear of taking on law enforcement.

"They are very violent toward policing - they have no respect for law enforcement" Rausch said. "They will fight, and they will attack police."

A Border Crisis with Local Consequences

Governor Lee responded to Rausch’s warning by emphasizing the broader implications of gang activity linked to border security.

“The border crisis is exactly why Americans voted for change. It’s not political—it’s about safety and security,” Lee said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Nov. 15. “Tennessee will support [President-Elect Donald Trump] as he secures our border while delivering key resources for [the TBI] to stop illegal criminals from operating in our state.”

Rausch later released a video statement urging Tennesseans to stay vigilant, though he reassured residents that they need not fear imminent danger in their neighborhoods.

“We want the public to be diligent as always in paying attention in their communities for signs of things like human trafficking,” Rausch said, pointing citizens to resources for identifying and reporting suspicious activity.

A National Threat

Rausch also noted that TDA’s presence isn’t limited to Tennessee. During meetings with the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, other states reported similar encounters with the gang, further underscoring the nationwide nature of the threat.

“They are all over the place, governor, it’s not just Tennessee,” Rausch said. “This is not a unique situation.”

The TBI has ramped up efforts to monitor the gang, sharing intelligence with local law enforcement agencies and educating police on how to identify and approach gang members. However, Rausch acknowledged that some local departments might not yet realize TDA is operating in their jurisdictions.

"There are times where they may be unaware of actors that may be moving in and out of their area that we are tracking," Rausch said.

Stopping the Violence Before It Spreads

Rausch’s priority is clear: halt TDA’s operations before they escalate into full-scale violence.

"What we don’t want to happen is to see them move into those next phases," Rausch stated. "We want to stop them where they are right now, and that’s why we’re raising the issue."

With the TBI on high alert and the governor promising resources, Tennessee is bracing itself for the fight against Tren De Aragua, a gang that thrives on chaos but may have underestimated the resolve of its new battleground.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report

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