SAN ANTONIO – More than 140 immigrants were taken into custody on Sunday, Nov. 16, following a multiple-agency operation on the North Side.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations field offices in San Antonio confirmed the arrests in a news release on Monday, Nov. 17. Officials said the arrests were the result of an operation from the newly established regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF-South Texas).
“Disrupting Tren de Aragua (TdA) criminal presence in San Antonio, Texas on November 16, 2025,” was listed as a “recent highlight” for HSTF-South Texas, according to the release.
Documents obtained by KSAT 12 show that 143 immigrants were arrested. Of those arrested, 52 people are believed to be connected to Tren de Aragua, a gang based in Venezuela.
The ages and genders of most who were detained remain unknown.
As of Thursday, Dec. 4, here’s what we know about the case:
More than 140 immigrants arrested
At approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16, multiple agencies were dispatched to Basse Road and San Pedro Avenue to conduct “court-authorized activity in the vicinity,” the FBI previously said.
Federal authorities did not provide new information that day, but a news release was sent on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 17. It stated more than 140 immigrants lacking permanent legal status were arrested.
The immigrants, who are from Venezuela, Honduras, Mexico and other South American countries, were taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
During the raid, 163 people were detained, according to documents obtained by KSAT on Dec. 4. Of those detained, 143 people were arrested for immigration violations.
Authorities also seized three handguns, 15.8 grams of cocaine, 45.8 grams of MDMA (also known as ecstasy), 2.7 grams of marijuana and $27,014, according to the DPS search warrant operation report.
“This operation would not have been possible without the support of the Texas Department of Public Safety, whose work on the underlying state case led to the search warrant executed during the operation,” the news release states.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, court records showing the formal charges against two individuals connected to the North Side raid were obtained by KSAT Investigates.
Marcos Contreras-Max and Edwin Javier Chinchilla-Lopez, both from Honduras, were taken into custody by ICE agents during the Nov. 16 operation, records obtained show.
Both men face charges of illegal re-entry into the United States. If convicted, they would each face up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A Department of Justice spokesperson said a federal district court judge will ultimately “determine any sentence.”
On Nov. 19, the DOJ said the two men — who were also arrested in the Nov. 16 raid — made their first court appearance in a federal courtroom in San Antonio.
After their arrests, the DOJ said Contreras-Max and Chinchilla-Lopez were transported to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas, before they returned for their Nov. 19 court appearances in San Antonio.
A Nov. 19 news release from the DOJ did not explicitly describe Contreras-Max and Chinchilla-Lopez as having any ties to Tren de Aragua, either.
An earlier news release states HSTF-South Texas investigates “sophisticated cartels, foreign terrorist organizations, and transnational gangs whose list of crimes include homicide, kidnapping, human trafficking, extortion, smuggling drugs across our borders, and money laundering.”
What to know about Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang
According to the Associated Press, Tren de Aragua, or TdA, traces its roots to a Venezuelan prison. It is not known for having a big role in global drug trafficking but for its involvement in contract killings, extortions and human smuggling, the AP reported.
>>Tren de Aragua: What to know about the Venezuelan gang making headlines in San Antonio and Texas
According to DHS’ Nov. 19 news release, ICE — along with other federal and state law enforcement agencies — executed a search warrant at the North Side “after-hours club” frequented by suspected members of Tren de Aragua.
Of the immigrants detained, DPS said the FBI confirmed 52 of them have alleged ties to TdA, and three were suspects in ongoing FBI investigations for bank robbery and money laundering, according to documents obtained by KSAT on Dec. 4.
DHS released the identities of five of the alleged gang members who were arrested on Sunday, Nov. 16:
- Brayann Ibraynn Morales-Rodriguez
- Yoibert Geraldo Caldera Pulido
- Jeison Javier Perez
- Roiberth Jesus Campos Duran
- Willy Yoel Arteaga-Tabares
The gang originated more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua. The gang has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil and migrated to other Latin American countries or the U.S.
President Donald Trump and administration officials have consistently blamed the gang for being at the root of the violence and illicit drug dealing that plague some U.S. cities. Trump has repeated his claim — contradicted by a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment — that Tren de Aragua is operating under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s control.
The size of the gang is unclear. Countries with large populations of Venezuelan migrants, including Peru and Colombia, have accused the group of being behind a spree of violence in the region.
On his first day in office, Trump took steps to designate the gang a foreign terrorist organization alongside several Mexican drug cartels. The Biden administration had sanctioned the gang and offered $12 million in rewards for the arrest of three of its leaders.
Site cleared a day after raid
A KSAT crew observed at least three vehicles being towed from the scene on Sunday, Nov. 16.
KSAT’s crew at the scene captured video showing smoke, loud bangs and people being taken away in handcuffs.
The scene has since cleared as of Monday, Nov. 17. A video taken by KSAT shows the area now abandoned, with no cars, benches, or food trucks remaining.
More than 100 protesters rally
On Monday, Nov. 17, there were chants and outrage from more than 100 protesters.
KSAT asked the FBI and HSI about where the people arrested were being held, how many were directly tied to the gang, and how many were under the age of 18. A spokesperson with HSI said they couldn’t answer additional questions at this time.
Similar questions were shouted during the protest along San Pedro Avenue.
Lydia Leos said she knew a woman detained Sunday morning in the raid. She said the woman’s family doesn’t know where she’s being held.
“We just know that at home there’s a 2-month-old baby and a 10-year-old little boy waiting to see where their mom is,” Leos said.
At least one person was countering the protest on Monday night. George Rodriguez said the agencies were doing their job.
“I think that this protest is misleading, it’s misguided,” he said.
DPS seeks exemption from releasing records
In response to a Nov. 21 records request from KSAT Investigates, the Department of Public Safety released the search warrant for the site of the raid, along with the first two pages of a Search Warrant Operation Report draft described as “basic information,” on Thursday, Dec. 4.
That same day, the department requested an exemption from the Attorney General’s office for the remaining records associated with the raid.
In the request to the Attorney General’s office, the department argues that the information is part of an ongoing criminal investigation and would interfere with the case’s prosecution.
DPS also said that the affidavit for the search warrant has been sealed by a district judge and, therefore, should be withheld.
What Texas leaders are saying
In a post on X, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the raid was tied to a sex and human trafficking organization from Tren de Aragua.
“About 200 illegal immigrants were apprehended. More of this to come,” Abbott said in a repost, which included a clipped video from KSAT’s newscast.
Texas Department of Public Safety joined with federal and local officials to raid a TDA sex and human trafficking operation in San Antonio.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 17, 2025
About 200 illegal immigrants were apprehended.
More of this to come. https://t.co/YILlBD9wEF
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, reposted the same video and said, “The work to secure our communities must continue full force.”
Major law enforcement operation (including ICE/FBI) in San Antonio leading to the detention of 150-200+ illegals. Suspected TdA ties. Tracking.
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) November 17, 2025
The work to secure our communities must continue full force. #TX21 pic.twitter.com/WFazLnfmMr
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat, posted a video on Facebook and said he is “monitoring the situation.”
Castro said he has asked federal authorities for more information. Watch his Monday, Nov. 17 video below:
In a joint news release on Thursday, Nov. 20, Castro and fellow Rep. Greg Casar pressed the Trump administration for detailed answers regarding the raid.
“After attempting to get pertinent information from your respective offices, we are addressing this letter to all of you pursuant to our responsibilities as congressional representatives of the area and pursuant to our duty to conduct rigorous oversight of federal and state activities,” the congressmen said in the release.
Castro and Casar requested a comprehensive response to their questions by Monday, Nov. 24.
Regional Homeland Security Task Force established
The FBI and HSI announced the new regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF-South Texas) on Monday, Nov. 17.
According to the news release, the HSTF investigates transnational criminal organizations “engaged in sophisticated criminal schemes” within and outside the U.S.
The release states the unit also investigated a father and son, who were indicted on money laundering charges in October. They are accused of providing “material support” for a Mexican cartel.
On Oct. 23, authorities intercepted 534 firearms, 31,482 rounds of ammunition, 525 magazines, 40 scopes, four lasers, 10 rifle slings, and other related items in the Laredo area. Two men were charged with smuggling firearms, ammunition, magazines, and related accessories, as well as trafficking firearms, the release states.
This task force was created as a regional component to the national Homeland Security Task Force pursuant to an Executive Order 14159 Protecting the American People Against Invasion, signed by Trump when he took office in January.
“The Homeland Security Task Force was established as a powerful tool in the fight against transnational organized crime,” FBI San Antonio Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran said in the release. “In close collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we are dedicated to dismantling the cartels and criminal networks responsible for violent crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling with the ultimate goal of preserving the safety and security of the communities we serve.”
HSTF-South Texas includes officials from the following agencies:
- FBI
- HSI
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Enforcement and Removal Operations
- U.S. Marshals Service
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- U.S. Border Patrol
- U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District and Western District of Texas
- Internal Revenue Service
- United States Coast Guard
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- South Texas - High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)
North Side community left with more questions than answers
Neighbors woke up around 3 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, to the sound of loud bangs.
“I saw two choppers, with the lights, running around, all from the property where I live,” a neighbor identified as Rudy said.
Derek Garcia, who works nearby, said he is used to seeing some police activity on the street but was shocked by the presence of swarms of federal agents.
“I watch a lot of stuff on TV and we see a lot stuff on social media, but to actually be this close,” he said.
Garcia described arriving for his daily work routine and noticing many vehicles positioned near the bridge.
“I pull in, like I usually do, you know, for my daily work routine. I noticed a lot of vehicles they were kind of like halfway mid starting halfway mid for the bridge.”
Another person and local business owner told KSAT that some businesses in the area often play loud music, with an influx of people hanging out at night.
David Rathburn of River City Auto described the area as lively before the raid.
“At nighttime, it was almost like there was a whole bunch, like all the food trucks are there, so it’s almost like a party going on there all the time,” he said.
Rathburn said local businesses communicate and were not surprised by some law enforcement presence, especially as the area grew busier.
“Hope it’s all over now. It should be fine, but we’re hoping that’s all done and done and over with.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.