(NewsNation) — At least 40 people were arrested during a raid outside a rural residence near Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed.
Department of Homeland Security officials told NewsNation that the FBI developed intelligence about a possible gathering of suspected Tren de Aragua members or associates in Hays County. Federal and local authorities established sufficient probable cause to obtain a search warrant for a residence that was then executed by the DPS’ Special Response Team.
Officials said at least 40 people were arrested at or around the home following the raid and said that drugs were seized as part of the multiagency operation. DHS sources told NewsNation that most of those arrested Tuesday are suspected members or associates of Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan prison gang.
The early-morning raid involved agents from the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, DHS and the Hays County Sheriff’s Department.
Video obtained by NewsNation shows that those who were arrested were transported away from the site in an ICE van and bus. The video also shows protesters forming a human shield to try to stop the vehicles attempting to leave the federal facility. Austin police confirmed that officers stepped in to deal with 15 protesters who were blocking the road, trying to prevent the ICE vehicles from leaving.
Protesters allege that children were among those who were taken into custody. In a statement released on Wednesday, the FBI announced that minors were among those taken into custody. The agency said that state and federal prosecutors will evaluate possible criminal charges based on the evidence collected through the execution of the search warrant and the subsequent investigation.
The FBI said that more information will be released as it becomes available.
Deportations face legal battle
The raid took place as several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed lawsuits attempting to stop the deportations of Venezuelan nationals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The U.S. Justice Department has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and allow the deportation of suspected Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador.
Justice Department officials argue that President Donald Trump has the authority to deport suspected Tren de Aragua members under the Alien Enemies Act after he ruled that the gang and others like MS-13 have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
The Trump administration is seeking to have Judge James Boasberg’s ruling that temporarily freezes deportation flights overturned. Boasberg claims that the administration defied a previous order by allowing flights with Venezuelan nationals and suspected gang members on board to take off. The Trump administration acknowledged this week that an administrative error allowed a Maryland man to be deported to El Salvador.
White House officials, however, have argued that the man, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, is a former member of MS-13, which designates him for deportation under Trump’s executive order.