Border Patrol Detains Tren de Aragua Gang Member in Maine Theft Investigation

A Venezuelan national affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang, recently designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization, was arrested in Brunswick, Maine, on March 30 following a theft investigation. The individual, along with another Venezuelan national, was taken into custody by the United States Border Patrol after both were found to be illegally present in the United States.

A resident agent from the U.S. Border Patrol’s Houlton Sector responded to assist with the investigation and determined the two individuals had previously entered the country illegally and were released on their own recognizance. After further investigation, both were deemed eligible for detention and subsequently transferred to Border Patrol custody.

The two Venezuelan nationals are currently detained pending removal proceedings and have been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The arrest comes just weeks after the U.S. State Department formally designated Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in a notice issued on February 6.

The Border Patrol’s presence in rural areas such as Brunswick is made possible through its Resident Agent Program, which places agents in communities across the Houlton Sector to ensure regional awareness and quicker response times. The arrest underscores ongoing efforts to address threats to national security linked to gang activity and illegal border crossings.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from a United States Border Patrol press release.

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