Tren de Aragua, a notorious human trafficking network, is “wholly an issue” created by the Biden administration, according to a former high-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The network, which has been linked to drug trafficking and money laundering, has been a major concern for law enforcement and border officials in recent years. However, the former DHS official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the Biden administration’s policies and lack of enforcement have emboldened the group.
“Tren de Aragua is a direct result of the Biden administration’s failure to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws,” the former official said. “Their policies have created a culture of impunity, and Tren de Aragua has taken advantage of that.”
The official pointed to the administration’s decision to rescind the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which had been implemented by the Trump administration to prevent asylum seekers from entering the US while their claims were being processed. The policy was widely criticized by humanitarian groups, but the former official argued that it had been effective in reducing the flow of migrants and curbing the influence of human trafficking networks like Tren de Aragua.
“We had made significant progress in reducing the flow of migrants and dismantling human trafficking networks before the Biden administration took office,” the official said. “But since then, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of migrants attempting to cross the border, and Tren de Aragua has taken advantage of that.”
The official also criticized the administration’s handling of border security, arguing that a lack of resources and inadequate staffing had created vulnerabilities that Tren de Aragua had exploited.
“Tren de Aragua is not a new organization, but it has become more brazen and aggressive under the Biden administration,” the official said. “We need to take a hard look at our policies and our enforcement efforts and make some changes if we’re going to stop this network from operating.”
The comments come as the Biden administration is facing growing criticism from Republicans and some Democrats over its handling of border security and immigration policy. The administration has faced accusations of being soft on immigration and allowing human trafficking networks like Tren de Aragua to flourish.
