• U.S. intelligence finds no evidence linking Venezuela's Maduro to Tren de Aragua gang.
• The memo contradicts Trump's justification for deporting gang members under the Alien Enemies Act.
• Tren de Aragua operates independently in the U.S., according to declassified reports.

A recently declassified memo indicates that U.S. intelligence agencies do not believe that the Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, controls the Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang. This memo directly contradicts assertions made by former President Trump regarding the gang's operations in the United States. The findings, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, articulate that while "Venezuela’s permissive environment enables TDA to operate, the Maduro regime probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA's movement to and operations in the United States," according to The New York Times and Anadolu Agency.

The memo comes in the aftermath of Trump invoking the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to authorize the deportation of allegedly undocumented gang members without due process, asserting that TDA's activities were destabilizing U.S. security. However, the newly released document reveals that U.S. intelligence had circulated findings that oppose this narrative as early as February, implying that the Venezuelan government treats TDA as a rival, not an ally, according to India Times and NPR.

In addition, the memorandum points out the complexity of TDA’s operations, labeling the gang as "decentralized" and suggesting it is "highly unlikely that TDA coordinates large volumes of human trafficking or migrant smuggling." The report challenges the portrayal of TDA as a direct threat under Maduro's direction and asserts that while some Venezuelan officials might allow TDA members to move, there is no credible evidence of systematic support from the regime, as emphasized in the memo, according to The New York Times and India Times.