US and Canada Forge Cooperation Agreement to Strengthen Action Against Tren de Aragua Gang

February 14, 2025 TruthUSA

The agreement was finalized just one day prior to notable arrests in the United States related to the gang.

An unprecedented agreement has been reached between the United States and Canada to strengthen their fight against Tren de Aragua (TdA), the violent Venezuelan gang that has increasingly spread its influence throughout North America in recent years.

The memorandum of cooperation, signed on February 13 by Interpol Washington Director Jeffrey A. Grimming and National Central Bureau Ottawa Director Marie-Josee Homsy, bolsters law enforcement collaboration between the two countries.

“Today, we have made significant progress in our mission to eliminate TdA from the United States,” Grimming stated, as per the U.S. Justice Department’s announcement on February 13.

“By combining our law enforcement resources, both nations have ensured that TdA will find no refuge within our borders.”

This agreement allows for enhanced police coordination, intelligence sharing, and collaborative investigations aimed at dismantling TdA’s criminal operations.

“Addressing Transnational Criminal Organizations like TdA necessitates international cooperation,” Homsy mentioned in the statement. “These groups jeopardize security and stability throughout the Americas.

“This agreement exemplifies the robust collaboration that occurs between American and Canadian authorities on a daily basis, as well as the extensive reach of INTERPOL’s capabilities.

“Collaboratively, we can dismantle criminal enterprises, safeguard our communities, and reaffirm our dedication to the rule of law.”

The agreement was concluded during the Interpol Heads of National Central Bureaus Conference in Lyon, France.

Earlier this month, a member of TdA was detained after illegally entering the United States near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, as reported by U.S. Congressman Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) for the district.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office aiming to designate various transnational criminal organizations, including Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist groups.

This order states that such organizations have inundated the United States with “lethal drugs, violent offenders, and aggressive gangs,” representing an “unacceptable risk to national security.”

The agreement was executed one day prior to notable arrests in the United States associated with the gang.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on February 14 that eight individuals linked to TdA had been arrested in Tennessee.

All of the arrested individuals were illegal aliens from Venezuela and were charged in a four-count indictment pertaining to a commercial sex and human trafficking operation that was reportedly running in Nashville motels from July 2022 through March 2024.

“This indictment exemplifies our commitment to eradicate human trafficking wherever and whenever it occurs,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Robert E. McGuire.

“We are targeting transnational criminal organizations like TdA, and this case illustrates that we will go to any length to stop those who would exploit women and girls, regardless of who is responsible for their suffering.”

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch had previously cautioned about TdA’s growing presence in the largest cities of the state, highlighting the gang’s violent character and contempt for law enforcement.

“They leave a trail of violence, and we want the public to be aware of that,” Rausch said. “They exhibit extreme violence towards police—they show no respect for law enforcement.

“They will engage in confrontations and assault police.”

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