Homeland Security agents on Friday detained the first illegal migrant gangbanger under President Trump’s newly-invoked 18th-century Alien Enemies Act — a Venezuelan human trafficker and member of the Tren de Aragua gang.
DHS agents and Florida police arrested Franklin Jose Jimenez-Bracho by reportedly “steering” him directly into a group of officers with handcuffs ready, authorities revealed Friday, per the New York Post.
Jimenez-Bracho, identified as a “known Tren de Aragua gang member” by DHS, was wanted for human trafficking and smuggling.
“Once again, Florida leads the way,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis posted on X following the arrest.
FDLE and Florida Highway Patrol Troopers, in participation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Homeland Security Task Force Orlando, today arrested a known Tren de Aragua gang member—the first arrest conducted in the nation under the Alien Enemies Act according to HSI.… pic.twitter.com/1uEhj5BGgJ
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 20, 2025
The detention marks the first use of Trump’s invocation of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act, which his administration is utilizing to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members without hearings.
This follows Trump’s January decision to classify Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization.
The Trump administration has already taken significant action against illegal immigrant gang members, deporting approximately 250 alleged gangbangers to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center last Saturday.
This deportation occurred despite U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s order to turn the planes around, causing significant controversy.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration on X, writing: “The Administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order. The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory.”
“The written order and the Administration’s actions do not conflict,” Leavitt said.
Video posted by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele showed the deportees being handed over to armed commandos who moved them to the prison facility with their heads down and ankles and wrists in shackles.
Senior Homeland Security officials recently reported that the administration’s mass deportation effort has yielded more than 32,000 arrests in its first 50 days, with 70% of those arrested either facing charges or convicted of crimes.
The Alien Enemies Act, originally passed in 1798, grants the president broad authority to apprehend and remove non-citizens from countries with which the United States is at war or that threaten invasion.
The Trump administration has now applied this rarely-used law to target Venezuelan gang members as part of its broader immigration enforcement strategy.
