Trump DHS Blasts 'Sob Story' Reports After Tren de Aragua Gang Sends SOS in Texas Detention Center

The Department of Homeland Security under Trump is firing back at what it calls "sob story" reporting, after Reuters covered an incident involving alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang at a Texas detention center.

According to DHS, Reuters highlighted 31 Venezuelan detainees—suspected members of the notorious international gang—who arranged themselves into an "SOS" formation in the yard of the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas. The media coverage, DHS argues, focused too much on the emotional plight of the detainees rather than the threat they pose. You’ve got to admit, it’s not every day you see gang members spelling out distress signals, but apparently, everyone’s a performance artist now.

Tren de Aragua, also known as "TdA," has a chilling rap sheet. The gang, tied to Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, is a designated foreign terrorist organization and has been linked to high-profile crimes, including the killing of a Georgia nursing student and even taking over an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. DHS insists that the real story is how previous administrations released dangerous individuals into American communities.

Reuters interviewed two of the detainees at the center: Diover Millan Leon, 24, and Jeferson Escalona Hernandez, 19. Escalona Hernandez claimed he feared for his life and that the accusations against him were false. Millan Leon’s wife weighed in, saying her husband was desperate and prayed to be released.

DHS, however, countered that both men are confirmed members of Tren de Aragua. Escalona Hernandez, a self-admitted gang member, entered the U.S. illegally in 2024 and was later arrested for felony evading arrest. Millan Leon also entered illegally and was first detained in Texas in 2023, but released with a notice to appear; he was ultimately arrested again in Georgia in 2025.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin didn’t sugarcoat things, describing Tren de Aragua as "one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth"—a group that "rapes, maims, and murders for sport." She criticized Reuters for what she sees as irresponsible reporting that highlights the gang members' stories and ignores their American victims.

McLaughlin also emphasized that Trump and Secretary Noem have ended the "catch and release" policy and won’t allow criminal gangs to terrorize Americans. Reuters did not immediately respond to requests for comment.