Migrants who allegedly attacked NYPD cops are members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, feds say

At least two of the illegal migrants who were accused of viciously attacking two New York Police Department officers in January are members of the Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told the New York Post Tuesday.

Wilson Juarez, 21, and Kelvin Servita-Arocha, 19, were recently apprehended in a Bronx apartment and are currently being held without bail by ICE officials, who claim the two men are members of a gang that is wreaking havoc in New York City.

Marie Ferguson, a spokesperson for ICE, told the news outlet, “Both unlawfully present Venezuelan citizens have been charged in conjunction with the violent gang assault carried out on two NYPD officers [and] are currently detailed without bond.”

“Both noncitizens have been identified as members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization,” Ferguson added.

ICE officials reported that Arocha, who was arrested on a warrant, will have his custody status re-evaluated. Juarez was detained on a deportation order issued by an El Paso, Texas, judge a year ago.

The two alleged gang members are accused of attacking a pair of NYPD officers on January 27. Shocking surveillance footage of the assault captured a gang of illegal migrants punching and kicking the law enforcement officials before fleeing the scene on foot.

After coming under fire for releasing several of the suspects without bail, progressive Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced new charges against the illegal migrants. Arocha was charged with two counts of assault, and Juarez was charged with a class E felony for allegedly tampering with physical evidence. As many as 14 suspects are believed to have taken part in the incident. At least one suspect remains at large.

It is unclear whether ICE has linked any other suspects to Tren de Aragua, Spanish for "Aragua Train." The gang’s name stems from its origins as a railroad labor union in Aragua, Venezuela. The group’s presence in the New York City area is growing, and members have been linked to a recent increase in cellphone robberies.

The Post reported earlier this week that the New York State National Guard is being advised to check all illegal migrants arriving in the state for gang-affiliated tattoos.

“It’s to a point that they had to post policies on use of force like if we were in a combat zone,” a National Guard source told the news outlet.

An alert to service members stated, “Given the potential threat posed by TdA’s growing presence in the city, the [NYPD Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Bureau] recommends members of the service maintain situational awareness of symbols and iconography used by the gang to identify local activity and trends.”

National Guard members were instructed to “coordinate with your precinct Field Intelligence Team” if they identify any individuals with gang-affiliated tattoos.

An FBI source told the Post that a dangerous alliance between the Venezuelan gang and MS-13 members might be forming.

“While these gangs wouldn’t normally mix, it’s always going to be a concern as the gang [Tren de Aragua] expands in strength and establishes a foothold,” John Morales, a senior FBI agent, told the news outlet. “Right now we are working with our local law enforcement partners and sharing intelligence in order to stop the growth of Tren de Aragua.”

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