A newly released U.S. intelligence memo suggests the Venezuelan government does not directly control the Tren de Aragua gang, challenging a central justification for Trump’s deportation strategy under the Alien Enemies Act.
Key Facts:
- A U.S. intelligence memo says the Maduro regime likely does not direct the Tren de Aragua (TdA).
- The National Intelligence Council concludes there’s no direct link between Maduro and TdA leadership.
- The memo was published by the New York Times in April and reflects the view of the intelligence community.
- However, it states some Venezuelan officials may help TdA members migrate and act as proxies.
- Trump’s administration cited links between Maduro, TdA, and the Cartel de los Soles to justify deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.
The Rest of The Story:
The National Intelligence Council’s memo, published by the New York Times, offers a nuanced picture of Venezuela’s relationship with the Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
It claims that while the country’s permissive environment allows TdA to operate, there is no clear evidence the Maduro regime directs its activities or has a formal policy of cooperation.
Instead, the memo characterizes the relationship as “an uneasy mix of cooperation and confrontation,” citing both Venezuelan law enforcement actions against TdA and the decentralized nature of the gang as reasons for the lack of coordination.
Yet it does acknowledge that some Venezuelan officials may be assisting TdA members in migrating and destabilizing foreign governments, including the United States.
The Trump administration, seeking to invoke the rarely used Alien Enemies Act, declared in March that Venezuelan TdA members inside the U.S. could be detained and deported as enemy aliens.
The administration’s argument hinges on the claim that TdA is connected to the Cártel de los Soles, a narco-terrorism operation allegedly tied to Maduro.
National Intelligence Council, examining Venezuelan regime ties to Tren de Aragua said that while "Maduro sometimes tolerates TDA presence in Vzla… probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and it is not directing TDA movement to an operations in the U.S." pic.twitter.com/FmnXj9pySE
— Verónica Egui Brito (@VeroEgui) May 6, 2025
Commentary:
This development is concerning.
Once again, it appears the intelligence community is positioning itself in opposition to a sitting president’s immigration and national security priorities.
During Trump’s previous term, these agencies repeatedly leaked or challenged executive policies in ways that weakened his ability to act decisively.
The memo’s public release raises questions about internal loyalty and coordination.
If intelligence officials disagree with a policy or interpretation, the proper approach is to raise those concerns discreetly through secure channels—not to publish sensitive assessments that appear designed to politically embarrass the president or damage his legal case.
There’s also a strategic issue here.
Even if Maduro isn’t directly commanding TdA, allowing criminal proxies to operate within our borders remains a national security threat.
If elements within the Venezuelan government are indeed facilitating the group’s migration to the U.S., that alone should justify decisive action.
The intelligence memo acknowledges this threat but buries it under bureaucratic language and caveats.
Trump’s effort to invoke the Alien Enemies Act may be bold, but in a time of rising transnational crime and open borders, bold actions are what’s required.
Undermining that effort with speculative memos only strengthens the position of bad actors and weakens U.S. sovereignty.
Tulsi Gabbard must realign the intelligence agencies toward their original purpose—serving the elected leadership of the country, not countermanding it.
Rogue leaks and bureaucratic interference have no place in a functioning republic.
The Bottom Line:
The intelligence memo casts doubt on the direct link between the Maduro regime and Tren de Aragua, weakening part of Trump’s legal argument for using the Alien Enemies Act to justify mass deportations.
Still, the memo admits that Venezuelan officials may be enabling the gang’s presence in the U.S.
The broader concern isn’t just what Maduro is directing, but what his government is allowing or encouraging through inaction or unofficial support.
Without a course correction inside the intelligence community, presidential authority on national security risks being quietly sabotaged from within.
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