Congressman blasts feds' claim 51 people arrested at recent San Antonio raid are Tren de Aragua gang members

Agents walk among people detained at the Nov. 16 raid. Credit: Courtesy Photo / DHS

Federal authorities’ new claim that a recent San Antonio immigration sweep rounded up 51 “confirmed” members of a notorious Venezuelan gang drew pushback from U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who blasted the “unacceptable” lack of transparency surrounding the raid.

In a Tuesday statement touting the enforcement action, which took place nine days ago near the Alamo Quarry Market, Homeland Security Task Force-San Antonio (HSTF) offered no proof to back up its assertions that agents detained dozens of members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

Indeed, the task force — comprised of members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies — has so far failed to identify the majority of people detained in the raid, carried out Sunday, Nov. 16, or say whether any face criminal charges.

“If ICE has nothing to hide from its raid in San Antonio, why did they smash security cameras?” Castro said in his statement. “If authorities are so sure they arrested 51 members of Tren de Aragua, why can’t they offer proof?”

Video footage collected at the roundup, which took place near San Pedro Avenue and Basse Road, shows one federal agent tear down a surveillance camera at the site while another appears to hurl a man to the ground as he raised his hands in surrender.

HSTF-San Antonio didn’t respond to Current’s request for more information to back up the allegations in its Tuesday press statement. The paper’s questions include how officials “confirmed” the detained individuals’ membership in Tren de Aragua, where detainees are now being held and a list of criminal charges so far levied against anyone caught in the raid.

In earlier statements, task force officials said their enforcement action targeted an unsanctioned night club, adding that agents confiscated guns, cocaine and cash from the scene.

However, the feds’ statements about the raid have been short on details. What’s more, the claims about ties to Tren de Aragua come as independent media reports have poked holes in similar allegations the Trump administration has made about sweeping up members of the gang during raids in other cities.

While ramping up Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, the White House designated Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization and has repeatedly invoked its name to justify aggressive enforcement activities in multiple U.S. cities.

Immediately following the San Antonio raid, both Castro and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat whose district also includes the Alamo City, fired off a letter to the White House demanding more information on the raid, including the names of those detained and what criminal charges they face.

Over the weekend, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones also demanded more transparency, including the release of the names of people now in detention.

“I look forward to receiving the answers our community rightly deserves,” Jones said in the statement. “Transparency is the foundation of a safe community, and we must ensure that everyone receives due process.”

In Tuesday’s statement, Castro said he and Casar still haven’t received answers from federal law enforcement officials.

“This kind of secrecy and disregard for accountability is unacceptable,” Castro said. “It’s un-American to round people up and claim they have ties to a gang without evidence or proof. Especially as 92 people got caught in the crosshairs and were charged with nothing — including two teenage boys who were grabbing something to eat — just to meet quotas.”

The congressman added: “No answers, no transparency, and no evidence. Texans deserve better.”

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Congressman blasts feds’ claim 51 people arrested at recent San Antonio raid are Tren de Aragua gang members

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