Latest news with #TrenDeAragua
Fox News
9 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Illegal immigrant suspect in Jocelyn Nungaray's murder now accused of prior sexual assault in Costa Rica
One of two suspects charged in Jocelyn Nungaray's murder is now accused of raping an American woman in Costa Rica, according to former Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. Two Venezuelan illegal immigrants who may have ties to the Tren de Aragua gang — Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, and Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21 — are charged in the 12-year-old's June 2024 murder. They allegedly sexually assaulted and strangled the pre-teen to death, leaving her body tied up in a bayou in Houston. Ogg told FOX 26 Houston last week that she learned over the course of her investigation as DA, before her successor Sean Teare took office last year, that Pena Ramos had been involved in a prior sexual assault in Costa Rica involving an American woman who was apparently on vacation at the time. "It happened in Costa Rica. It happened to an American citizen who came forward with that information after their pictures were shown on national television," Ogg told the outlet. "When she reported it to the authorities in Costa Rica, they did nothing. Imagine the frustration of that individual. I don't want that to be swept under the carpet." The victim is not from Texas but felt compelled to come forward when Nungaray's murder made national headlines and she saw the suspects' photos on the news. "The courage of any crime victim to come forward like that is remarkable to me and that played a major role in determining whether the death penalty is appropriate," Ogg told FOX 26. Ogg, who was seeking the death penalty for both suspects while in office, added that "authorities had no idea of their past behavior," such as charges in other countries, which "makes it hard to determine if someone is going to be a future danger." The former district attorney said she came forward with the information to FOX 26 now because she is "very concerned about the decisions" that Teare "has been making," referencing multiple cases that have been dismissed recently. "I think it's important for the public to get the final say," Ogg added. "Do they deserve death for the rape and murder of Jocelyn? Or should they spend their life in the penitentiary? What I don't want is some backdoor deal done in the quiet of the night and a long time after people have forgotten the horror of this case. I just want people to remember Jocelyn, and I want them to hear and make a decision about the evidence." Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn's mother, has since become an advocate for victims of crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants. In a May interview, Alexis Nungaray described the 12-year-old as "a very creative, talented, free-spirited 12-year-old girl." Nungaray said Jocelyn "was very quirky" and "an old soul." She liked dressing in 1990s-style cargo jeans and Converse and loved listening to music from as far back as the 1940s and 1950s. "She was very different and unique. She was an amazing friend," Nungaray said. Nungaray also said she is grateful to President Donald Trump for both his support and for "keeping his promises" regarding immigration enforcement. "I support immigration, but I say there's just a right way and a wrong way to do it," she explained. "He's protecting the people, and he's taking consideration to the people, us the citizens and making sure we're safe and our kids are safe, women are safe, that we're all safe in our communities." "We've still got a long way to go," she went on. "But I will always advocate for her and be her voice and stand up for better border control and immigration laws. Because I know 1 million percent, Jocelyn's death should have been preventable." WATCH: JOCELYN NUNGARAY'S MOTHER TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS Pena Ramos illegally crossed into El Paso, Texas, in May 2024, sources with the Department of Homeland Security previously confirmed to Fox News. He was caught by Border Patrol agents and was released into the U.S. with a Notice to Appear in court. Rangel Martinez also crossed illegally into El Paso in March and was caught by Border Patrol. He was released into the U.S. on an unknown basis. Jocelyn had been at a convenience store and was talking to her 13-year-old boyfriend on the phone after sneaking out of her family's apartment. The boyfriend told investigators that he could hear Nungaray talking with two people.
Al Jazeera
6 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Who is behind Tren de Aragua?
Tren de Aragua was a little-known gang in Venezuela – until recently. US President Donald Trump's focus on the group has thrust it into the spotlight, as hundreds of Venezuelans have been deported from the United States.
Al Jazeera
7 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
The Take: Who is behind Tren de Aragua?
Tren de Aragua was a little-known gang in Venezuela – until recently. US President Donald Trump's focus on the group has thrust it into the spotlight, as hundreds of Venezuelans have been deported from the United States. In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters and Ashish Malhotra, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Remas Alhawari, Mariana Navarette, Kisaa Zehra, Kingwell Ma and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Fox News
Two illegal Venezuelan immigrants, suspected TdA gang members charged in deadly Chicago mass shooting
Two Venezuelans living in the U.S. illegally were recently charged in a December mass shooting that killed three people and wounded five others in Chicago, leading to the arrests of more than a dozen suspected Tren de Aragua gang members. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday that suspected shooters Ricardo Granadillo Padilla, 25, and Edward Martinez Cermeno, 24, are being charged in the Dec. 2 house party massacre. Eight people were shot, including five men and three women between the ages of 20 and 35, according to a report from affiliate FOX 32 Chicago. Victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen and extremities, according to the report. Three men were pronounced dead, including a 26-year-old and a 28-year-old. Gang-related graffiti was found at the scene, and officials confirmed prior calls for service at the address, FOX 32 reported. Padilla was arrested in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Feb. 8 in a multi-agency effort, and was sentenced in March for illegally entering the country in 2022 near El Paso, Texas, according to ICE. Multiple guns, high-capacity magazines, narcotics and fraudulent documents were seized in January from his home in Chicago. During his arrest a month later, a pistol, ammunition and other evidence were seized, according to authorities. Cermeno was arrested in Schaumburg, Illinois on Jan. 26 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago and border patrol agents, but officials said he was later released by a federal magistrate judge after a federal detention hearing. He was arrested again by ICE HSI Chicago on administrative immigration charges for illegally entering the country in 2023 near Eagle Pass, Texas. Padilla and Cermeno remain in federal custody, according to ICE. Within the last few weeks, 16 additional TdA members and associates of Padilla and Cermeno in the Chicago and Raleigh areas were arrested by ICE HSI Chicago on immigration charges. ICE did not immediately respond to further inquiries from Fox News Digital.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump's 'ICE Barbie' Kristi Noem sparks liberal meltdown with vulgar two word post: 'Best response ever'
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had two big, brutal words declaring victory over a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of two detained migrants that set the internet on fire: 'Suck it.' That was after the suit on behalf of several illegal migrants deported to Guantanamo Bay after being detained in Texas was voluntarily dropped. They include a pair of Venezuelan parents who were separated from their 2-year-old daughter, who was eventually returned to Caracas. 'ICE Barbie' Noem's department has said the girl was placed in foster care to protect her from her parents, who it claimed were members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua drug gang. Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the suit dropped it after several had been removed from the country and others refused to keep the case going. That led Noem to post to X: 'Suck it.' Reaction was largely divided along party lines but heated and excited by the comment. A pro-MAGA user wrote: 'That's why Americans love you!' However, a more critical commenter made not of an embarrassing story from Noem's past: 'How unprofessional. But I don't expect anything less from someone who shoots puppies.' A more Noem-friendly account responded: 'Aaaaaand the snowflakes here have a meltdown.' 'Best response EVER!!!' tweeted another conservative account. One more excitedly said: 'That's not very lady I love it!' A more critical account noted that it was coming from Noem's official DHS X page. 'Coming from the Secretary of the Homeland, what are you getting at?' The suit filed by the ACLU claimed that the plaintiffs 'risk of being transferred to Guantánamo without any legal authority, in violation of federal law and the U.S. Constitution.' Under Trump, the DHS has carried out a crackdown on immigration, deporting thousands of primarily Latin American migrants that it says are undocumented and cancelling the legal status of others. The administration has said that many of those it has deported are members of criminal gangs, including Tren de Aragua, but has provided limited evidence to back that claim. Lawyers and family members of many deportees deny the allegations. Since February, more than 4,000 migrants have been sent home to Venezuela, some deported from the United States and others from Mexico, where they had gathered in the hope of crossing into the United States. The Trump government has horrified its critics by co-opting 'Gitmo', as it's often called, as the latest weapon in its battle against illegal immigration. 'President Donald Trump has been very clear: Guantanamo Bay will hold the worst of the worst. That starts today,' said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, referring to the Venezuelans. Trump has announced that the Cuban base will be a holding center for 30,000 immigrants – the 'worst criminal aliens' and people who are 'hard to deport'. The president 'is not messing around and he's no longer going to allow America to be a dumping ground for illegal criminals from nations all over this world', said his press secretary. Noem, who's earned the moniker 'ICE Barbie' for treating her Cabinet position like a prominent celebrity, has been suffering from the perception she cares more about image than fulfilling her responsibility to protect the homeland and crack down on illegal immigration. One particularly awkward photo shows her wearing an ill-fitting bulletproof vest, toting a machine gun that is accidentally pointed at the head of a Border Patrol Officer. In another apparent photo-op, Noem angered liberals for wearing an expensive watch while simultaneously berating suspected gangsters at the notorious El Salvador prison where the Trump administration banished some migrants. Just days after she took office as head of Homeland Security, she joined ICE agents on a predawn raid in New York City and tweeted about it before the raid had even concluded. Insiders told the outlet that her post potentially alerted targets to the operation and ultimately resulted in fewer arrests than officials had expected. 'Live this AM from NYC. I'm on it,' Noem posted on X at 4:43am on January 28, along with a picture of herself hopping into a vehicle wearing an ICE baseball cap. High profile conservatives including Meghan McCain and Megyn Kelly have torched the DHS secretary for her repeated photos ops, arguing that her desire for attention serves as a smoke screen to distract from the fact her agency has so far failed to fulfill Trump's central campaign promise to deport millions of illegal immigrants. Within her own department, some reportedly view her as little more than a spokeswoman or 'face' of the operation. Noem introduced herself to her new workforce by walking on stage at a town hall meeting to the country song 'Hot Mama', insiders claim. Since then, she's made a series of changes which have ruffled feathers within the department, from pushing voluntary staff exits to implementing the use of lie detector tests to root out disloyal staff and leakers. In spite of the criticism, the administration's border policies have delivered success, with illegal crossings down to the lowest point in decades. Noem has also re-established a government office focused on helping families devastated by crimes carried out by illegal aliens. The Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office was officially re-established during an event Wednesday afternoon at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters. VOICE began under Trump's first administration in 2017 to fulfill a promise to aid those directly impacted by migrant crime. But Joe Biden axed the office in 2021 and opened a more 'inclusive victim support system' that, in addition to serving Americans, helped investigate alleged abuses at migrant centers. Speaking alongside victims, known as 'angel families,' Noem shared that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE are now working again to support them.
