{"id":65673,"date":"2025-11-26T08:13:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T08:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/65673\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T08:13:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T08:13:11","slug":"congressman-blasts-feds-claim-51-people-arrested-at-recent-san-antonio-raid-are-tren-de-aragua-gang-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/65673\/","title":{"rendered":"Congressman blasts feds&#8217; claim 51 people arrested at recent San Antonio raid are Tren de Aragua gang members"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"584\" data-attachment-id=\"386710\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/feds-claim-they-busted-a-tren-de-aragua-cell-in-san-antonio-but-havent-backed-up-the-claim\/attachment\/raid02\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg?fit=900%2C674&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,674\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Raid02\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Agents walk among people detained last weekend.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Agents walk among people detained last weekend.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg?fit=780%2C584&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg\" alt=\"Agents walk among people detained last weekend.\" class=\"wp-image-386710\"  \/>Agents walk among people detained at the Nov. 16 raid. Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ DHS<\/p>\n<p>Federal authorities\u2019 new claim that a recent San Antonio immigration sweep rounded up 51 \u201cconfirmed\u201d members of a notorious Venezuelan gang drew pushback from U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who blasted the \u201cunacceptable\u201d lack of transparency surrounding the raid.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, the task force \u2014\u00a0comprised of members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies \u2014\u00a0has so far <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/feds-claim-they-busted-a-tren-de-aragua-cell-in-san-antonio-but-havent-backed-up-the-claim\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">failed to identify<\/a> the majority of people detained in the raid, carried out Sunday, Nov. 16, or say whether any face criminal charges. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf ICE has nothing to hide from its raid in San Antonio, why did they smash security cameras?\u201d Castro said in his statement. \u201cIf authorities are so sure they arrested 51 members of Tren de Aragua, why can\u2019t they offer proof?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/texas-news\/raid-footage\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Video footage collected at the roundup<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n<p>HSTF-San Antonio didn\u2019t respond to Current\u2019s request for more information to back up the allegations in its Tuesday press statement. The paper\u2019s questions include how officials \u201cconfirmed\u201d the detained individuals\u2019 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.<\/p>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<p>However, the feds\u2019 statements about the raid have been short on details. What\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>While ramping up Trump\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Over the weekend, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/jones-saraid\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">demanded more transparency<\/a>, including the release of the names of people now in detention.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI look forward to receiving the answers our community rightly deserves,\u201d Jones said in the statement. \u201cTransparency is the foundation of a safe community, and we must ensure that everyone receives due process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In Tuesday\u2019s statement, Castro said he and Casar still haven\u2019t received answers from federal law enforcement officials. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis kind of secrecy and disregard for accountability is unacceptable,\u201d Castro said. \u201cIt\u2019s 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 \u2014 including two teenage boys who were grabbing something to eat \u2014 just to meet quotas.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The congressman added: \u201cNo answers, no transparency, and no evidence. Texans deserve better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/sanantonio\/NewsletterSignup\/Page\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Follow us:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.news\/TiFMu3wPkRj6PC4xS5L36bg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWE5oWTNWeWNtVnVkQzVqYjIwb0FBUAE?hl=en-US&amp;gl=US&amp;ceid=US%3Aen\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsbreak.com\/@c\/1599768?s=01\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SanAntonio_Current\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/sacurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sacurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SAcurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/feed\/?partner-feed=all\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RSS Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Related Stories<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/jones-saraid\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764144790_695_Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-3.19.12-PM.jpg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Mayor Jones demands answers on whereabouts of those detained in San Antonio immigration raid\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\"   data-attachment-id=\"378891\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/events-coordinator-latest-staffer-to-exit-mayor-gina-ortiz-jones-office\/attachment\/screenshot-9\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-3.19.12-PM.jpg?fit=1250%2C843&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1250,843\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Screenshot&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Screenshot&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Mayor Jones\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones speaks during a City Council meeting. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones speaks during a City Council meeting. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-3.19.12-PM.jpg?fit=300%2C202&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-3.19.12-PM.jpg?fit=780%2C526&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tThe feds still have yet to release information on most of the 150 partygoers arrested on San Antonio\u2019s North Side last weekend. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/feds-claim-they-busted-a-tren-de-aragua-cell-in-san-antonio-but-havent-backed-up-the-claim\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764144791_65_Raid02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Feds say they busted a Tren de Aragua cell in San Antonio but haven\u2019t backed up the claim\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\"   data-attachment-id=\"386710\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/feds-claim-they-busted-a-tren-de-aragua-cell-in-san-antonio-but-havent-backed-up-the-claim\/attachment\/raid02\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg?fit=900%2C674&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,674\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Raid02\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Agents walk among people detained last weekend.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Agents walk among people detained last weekend.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Raid02.jpg?fit=780%2C584&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tTwo congressmen are demanding answers, and advocates point to previous raids the feds tied to the gang but resulted in no criminal charges. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Agents walk among people detained at the Nov. 16 raid. Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ DHS Federal authorities\u2019 new&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":65674,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[34094,3647,3239,82,84,83,9624,34095,23159],"class_list":["post-65673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio","tag-homeland-security-task-force-san-antonio","tag-immigration-and-customs-enforcement","tag-mayor-gina-ortiz-jones","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-headlines","tag-san-antonio-news","tag-u-s-rep-greg-casar","tag-u-s-rep-joaquin-castro","tag-venezuela"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}