US Border Affairs Director: Confident That Those Expelled are Gang Members

On Sunday, United States Border Affairs Official Tom Homan stated that officials in the Trump administration are “confident” that all immigrants recently deported on two questioned flights were members of the Venezuelan gang.

Homan reiterated during an interview with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on the program “This Week” that all the immigrants deported on flights taking off on March 15 were members of the Venezuelan gang “Tren de Aragua (TdA)” and pointed out that multiple officials are confident in their judgment.

“Many police officers, criminal investigators, and special agents have been doing this work for decades. They have reviewed intelligence information, criminal investigation information, all sorts of social media, surveillance records, government records, and public records, confirming that these individuals are TdA members.”

“We are actually using existing laws to enforce immigration law and ensuring border security at unprecedented levels,” Homan added.

Homan was discussing an immigration case that sparked controversy over the past week. On March 15, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, D.C., issued an injunction preventing the Trump administration from executing a deportation order targeting foreign criminal organizations. President Trump had previously issued an order requiring federal authorities to deport members of foreign criminal organizations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

Trump administration officials stated that when Boasberg issued the ruling during a hearing on March 15, the two planes intended to deport “Tren de Aragua” members were already in flight, one heading to El Salvador and the other to Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes to turn back, but the Trump administration did not comply, arguing that the judge’s verbal order in court was unenforceable.

The incident led to a series of legal disputes, with Trump even calling for the impeachment of Boasberg, prompting Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts to issue a statement opposing Trump’s actions. However, Republican Congressman Brandon Gill introduced a resolution on March 18, officially calling for Congress to impeach Boasberg.

Venezuela’s Interior Minister stated last Friday that the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador were not members of “Tren de Aragua.”

U.S. officials have refuted this claim. Homan also stated in the Sunday interview, “We did not fabricate the facts. We are enforcing the law based on existing regulations.”