“We will not tolerate politically motivated efforts by deep states to steal President Trump’s agenda by leaking misinformation,” a DOJ official said.
The Justice Department announced Friday that it has launched a criminal investigation into leaking classified information regarding the Tren de Aragua Gang. This was reported by the New York Times and announced that it appears to be challenging the Legal Foundation of President Donald Trump’s recent expulsion efforts.
The declaration allows for immediate arrest and deportation without standard due process protection. However, the move faces legal challenges and public scrutiny.
The New York Times reported Thursday that a leaked intelligence report document dated February 26 challenged the legal basis for Trump’s designation as the “an alien enemy” of criminal groups.
According to the documents, analysts were rated with “moderate confidence” that the gangs were not acting under direction or were not cooperating with the Venezuelan government. This is an important argument in Trump’s declaration. The Epoch Times does not independently examine leak reports.
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Trump’s declaration said the group was carrying out “predatory invasions” of the “hybrid criminal nation” into the United States.
Blanche denounced Leek, calling it a politically motivated effort with elements of a “deep state,” derailing Trump’s crackdown on Tren de Lagua’s criminal activities in the United States and his efforts to expel dangerous terrorists quickly.
“We will not tolerate deep state politically motivating efforts to undercut President Trump’s agenda by leaking false information to pages of New York Times’ allies,” Blanche said.
“The declaration of an alien enemy is supported by facts, laws and common sense, and is established in court and expels TDA (Tren de Aragua) terrorists in this country.”
In response to the launch of the DOJ investigation, a New York Times spokesman defended the newspaper’s report, citing the importance of freedom of the press.
“Our story raised fundamental questions about whether Americans are getting a straightforward narrative on important national security issues,” the spokesman continued. “That’s exactly what a journalist should do, no matter which party is in office.”
“Tren de Aragua is a terrorist organisation whose members are rapists, drug traffickers and murderers. We will continue to make sure that these dirt bags are removed from the streets of America and face justice,” a DHS spokesman said in a statement.
In the past 100 days, the administration says it has arrested members of Tren de Aragua, a gangster notoriously known for its brutal crimes, including the murder of human trafficking, inducements and nursing student Leken Riley and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungarei.
“We are expanding our watchlist to include members of cartels and gangs from newly designated foreign terrorist organizations. This change will support law enforcement and intelligence community partners as we all work together towards our goal of destroying violent crime within our borders.”
The shift is based on the State Department’s recent designation of eight major gangs and cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and as specially designated global terrorists, including Tren de Aragua. This designation will freeze assets on individuals belonging to these groups, impose financial sanctions, and enhance the federal government’s ability to deny visas.
