U.S. Border Patrol apprehends Tren de Aragua member during a traffic stop

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Venezuela who is a member of the Tren de Aragua gang during a traffic stop in the metro Detroit area on Wednesday.

Marysville Station agents responded to a request from law enforcement partners in Shelby Township, who had stopped a vehicle displaying a fraudulent license plate. The vehicle was occupied by three Venezuelan nationals.

Record checks conducted by Border Patrol agents revealed all three individuals were illegally present in the United States. One of the individuals was identified as a member of Tren de Aragua, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Additional record checks of the 30-year-old male Tren de Aragua member revealed multiple charges since 2023, including weapons violations, immigration violations, and violent robbery.

“The arrest of this Tren de Aragua gang member, who has a history of firearms and other criminal charges and was wanted on an active warrant out of Denver, Colorado for Failure to Appear, removes another dangerous criminal illegal alien from our country and enhances public safety,” said Detroit Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Morris. “This marks the second arrest of a gang member from a foreign terrorist organization this month and underscores the relentless efforts of our agents and law enforcement partners. These cases highlight the critical value of interagency cooperation in removing these criminal threats from our communities."

The individual faces removal from the United States. The U.S. Border Patrol urges the community to report suspicious border activity by calling 1-800-537-3220.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.