DOJ Launches Probe into Tren de Aragua Intel Leak, Alleging 'Deep State' Connections

The Justice Department is turning up the heat with a criminal probe into a leaked intel report involving Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang that’s been a centerpiece of the Trump administration's aggressive deportation stance.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the investigation, targeting what he described as "selective leaks of inaccurate, yet classified, information" from within the Intelligence Community about the gang. It’s worth noting that the U.S. officially labeled Tren de Aragua as a terrorist group just last month, underscoring the growing spotlight on this issue.

In a fiery statement, Blanche accused the so-called "Deep State" of trying to sabotage President Trump’s immigration agenda by planting false intel in outlets like the New York Times. He doubled down, saying, "The Alien Enemies Proclamation is supported by fact, law, and common sense, which we will establish in court and then expel the TDA terrorists from this country." Subtlety, clearly, wasn’t on the menu for this press release.

President Trump’s renewed focus on the Alien Enemies Proclamation—a relic of wartime law last seen in action during World War II—has raised eyebrows. The act allows expedited deportation of non-citizen Venezuelans aged 14 and older who are tagged as members of the gang. This time, though, it’s not about Axis powers but alleged gangsters on U.S. soil.

While the administration has pushed for swift deportations, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the move, putting the brakes on this controversial application of the wartime statute. History buffs might recall that the last invocation of this law led to the internment of Japanese, German, and Italian non-citizens during the 1940s—a dark chapter that still casts a long shadow.

This investigation signals the DOJ’s intent to clamp down on leaks, but it also opens the door to bigger questions about how far an administration can go in leveraging old laws for modern challenges. For now, all eyes are on the courts and the streets, waiting to see how this legal and political drama unfolds.