Texas officials declare Venezuelan gang a terrorist group, back Trump claims about migrants

Officials in Texas on Monday designated a Venezuelan gang called the Tren de Aragua as a "foreign terrorist group" and endorsed former President Donald Trump's claim that many migrants crossing into the United States were released from prisons in Latin America.

The Tren de Aragua is an international criminal organization that operates in several Latin American countries and engages in extortion, homicide, drug trafficking and smuggling of people, authorities say.

Because of a political and economic crisis in Venezuela, many people from that country are allowed to enter the United States and apply for asylum.