Grand Canyon Times

Kari Lake, a U.S. Senate candidate from Arizona, has raised concerns about the presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) in her state. She said on October 14 in a post on X that Arizona is experiencing "chaos" similar to Colorado due to the gang's activities.

"Just like Colorado, Arizona has members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua causing chaos," said Lake, U.S. Senate Candidate in Arizona. "We have Chilean gangs that break into people's homes & rob them of their valuables at dinnertime. The cartels have operational control of our southern border. Ruben Gallego will NEVER vote to stop that. He's not serious about your safety."

According to Fox News, TdA is based in Venezuela and is notorious for crimes such as murder, rape, and trafficking. The gang has been operating in the United States since 2021 and maintains networks in Colombia, Peru, and Chile. In response to its activities, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reached an agreement with Peru in 2023 to target TdA's criminal operations.

Screenshot of Post on X | X

Insight Crime reports that since entering the U.S., TdA members have been identified across several states including Colorado, Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Indiana, Georgia, Virginia, and New Jersey. Aurora in Colorado has been specifically noted for having "documented Tren de Aragua members."

Recently, NBC News reported that a suspected member of TdA was arrested in Cochise County in southern Arizona. Congressman Juan Ciscomani expressed concern over this development and remarked that it was the first instance he had heard of a TdA member being found in Arizona.

Arizona Central highlights that other South American crime groups also pose challenges to Arizona. Earlier this year saw 131 confirmed burglary cases at private residences during dinnertime leading to the nickname "dinnertime bandits."

In 2022, Lake ran for governor of Arizona according to her website. She is now pursuing a seat in the U.S. Senate representing Arizona.