Internal records reveal that an unverified rumour suggesting Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) members were planning to kill police officers spread widely across US law enforcement agencies last year, only for the FBI to later acknowledge the claim was mistaken.
The intelligence report, first disseminated by Albuquerque police in July 2024, claimed TdA had directed members to 'fire on or attack' law enforcement. The assertion quickly reached the Texas governor and Republican Congress members, who used it to highlight dangers of Venezuelan immigrants and border policies.
However, months later, the FBI wrote in an internal report that claims of a TdA 'directive to actively target US law enforcement' were inaccurate. The documents were obtained by transparency non-profit Property of the People and shared with the Guardian.
Experts said the records suggested a wide range of powerful law enforcement agencies lacked basic understanding of the gang. TdA began in a Venezuelan prison, and scholars say there is no evidence of an organised structure in the US, strongly rejecting claims of an 'invasion'.
The rumour was first documented on 27 July 2024 by Albuquerque police, citing Homeland Security Investigations. It was then repeated by Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security, and the New York Police Department, among others.
In recent months, dubious claims about TdA have had serious consequences, including lethal strikes on vessels near Venezuela, deportations without due process, and revocation of legal status for Venezuelan immigrants.
