Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested 54 members and associates of the Dominican Trinitarios gang in a sweeping crackdown across New York.
“During our investigation, we learned that these scumbags were affiliated with the transnational criminal organization, the notorious Trinitarios gang in New York,” Noem said at a press conference. “We began to target every single last person that is affiliated with them and recognized that they needed to be brought to justice.”
Noem described the operation as a major blow to a criminal network responsible for terrorizing neighborhoods throughout New York City and across the United States. Charges range from weapons trafficking and human smuggling to narcotics distribution and violent robberies. More than 60 percent of those arrested have already been deported.
The effort, dubbed “Operation Salvo,” was launched after it was discovered that the illegal migrants involved in the July shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer were tied to the gang. Authorities acted swiftly to dismantle the network following the attack.
The officer, who remains anonymous, was shot in the wrist and face while spending an evening with a friend. Despite his injuries, he returned fire and survived. The shooter, 21-year-old Dominican national Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, had a long criminal history and had been arrested multiple times in both New York and other states before the shooting.
According to reports, Mora Nunez was arrested in August 2024 for assaulting a pregnant woman and threatening another migrant with a machete. He was also wanted in Massachusetts for kidnapping and armed robbery tied to a pawn shop incident.
His alleged accomplice, 22-year-old Christhian Aybar-Berroa, had been arrested eight times by the NYPD and released each time—even after being issued a deportation order. He was also reportedly under investigation in four other cases.
ICE Director Ken Genalo blamed New York’s bail laws and sanctuary city policies for enabling the violence.
“They provide safe haven for criminal illegal aliens,” Genalo said. “The lack of cooperation is unprecedented across the law enforcement spectrum, and rather than the city’s stated purpose to protect the immigrants of New York and the citizens of New York City, these misguided policies allow criminals to roam freely.”
Noem pointed directly at the Biden administration.
“Those individuals would have never been in this country if they hadn’t been allowed in by the Biden administration when they ignored their federal laws and allowed them to come in illegally,” she said.
Noem made it clear this was only the start.
“We are on offense,” she said. “The Trump administration is using every single tool that we have to protect the American people.”
The post Noem Announces Major Takedown Of Dominican Gang Behind Shooting Of CBP Officer In NYC appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
