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An illegal migrant gangbanger wanted for human trafficking became the first to be targeted for detention by the newly-invoked 18th-century Alien Enemies Act — which President Trump is using to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members without a hearing.

Homeland Security agents alongside Florida cops successfully collared “known Tren de Aragua gang member” Franklin Jose Jimenez-Bracho by “steering” him straight into a group of cops with handcuffs at the ready, authorities announced Friday.


  Federal law enforcement and Florida cops nabbed Franklin Jose Jimenez-Bracho. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Federal law enforcement and Florida cops nabbed Franklin Jose Jimenez-Bracho. Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Bracho is wanted for human trafficking, smuggling and is also the subject of a pending investigation.

Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to arresting and deporting members of Tren de Aragua, “a dangerous foreign terrorist organization that has invaded our soil,” during a press conference Friday.

He said over the last 48 hours, ICE has arrested more than 68 TdA “terrorists” in the US.

“They’re out there. They’re sophisticated and they hide their crimes, but today I’m here to let everyone know we are more sophisticated,” said Lyons. 

“We have more resources than ever to find them and get rid of them from the United States.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on X of the arrest, “Once again, Florida leads the way.”

The Trump administration already deported roughly 250 alleged migrant gangbangers to El Salvador’s brutal mega prison Saturday in defiance of US District Judge James Boasberg’s order to turn the planes around.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt argued in an X post Monday that the Trump administration didn’t ‘refuse to comply’ with Boasberg’s order, saying that the judge “had no lawful basis” since the “terrorist TdA aliens” had already been deported.

When the alleged gangbangers arrived to El Salvador, they were handed over to armed commandos who moved them to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) with their heads down and ankles and wrists in shackles, according to dramatic video posted by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.


  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the law enforcement operation. ABC Columbia Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the law enforcement operation. ABC Columbia

Trump targeted Tren de Aragua upon entering office in January by classifying the Venezuelan prison gang as a foreign terrorist organization.

Some members of the South American gang have also been arrested as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation effort, which yielded more than 32,000 arrests in its first 50 days — 70% of them either facing charges or convicted of crimes, senior Homeland Security officials recently said.

The feds have not yet disclosed how many migrants they’ve deported through the mass deportation effort.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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