Carr Backs President Trump’s Efforts to Deport Violent Tren de Aragua Gang Members

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, defending the Trump administration’s efforts to immediately deport violent noncitizen Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang members. TdA – a criminal organization that originated in a Venezuelan prison – has infiltrated communities across the country, including here in Georgia. Both brothers of Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan migrant who murdered Laken Riley, have been linked to TdA. The gang is also responsible for additional murders, kidnappings, extortion, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking. Despite this clear threat, a single federal judge in D.C. issued a sweeping order blocking the removal of noncitizen TdA members, including those already in federal custody.

“The Biden administration’s border crisis failed Laken Riley, and we’re fighting to prevent such tragedies from ever happening again,” said Carr. “Tren de Aragua is a violent, Venezuelan prison gang responsible for brutal and heinous crimes, and its members who are here illegally should and will be removed – it’s common sense, and it’s the law. We commend President Trump for taking swift action to protect American citizens, and we will continue to stand with him to ensure the safety and security of our state and great nation.”

In their brief, Carr and 25 other attorneys general argue that allowing the temporary restraining order to stand undermines public safety and national security, placing American lives at risk. The President’s executive order is grounded in clear constitutional and statutory authority to remove TdA members, and the states assert that the district court overstepped its bounds by issuing a restraining order without fully considering the Executive Branch’s compelling interest in national security – in fact, without any briefing from the federal government at all.

Joining Carr in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia. Find a copy of the brief here .

This is one of several actions Carr has taken to combat the effects of illegal immigration. Just last week, he joined President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi at the Department of Justice for an important discussion on tackling violent crime, securing the border, and combating the fentanyl crisis.

In February, Carr announced a new multi-agency effort known as Operation “Hold the Line,” targeting drug cartels and transnational gangs, like TdA, that are wreaking havoc in our communities. Carr previously convicted three illegal migrants for the trafficking of a child in Cherokee and Fulton counties, and he worked with law enforcement in Augusta to seize 15 pounds of fentanyl – enough to kill 3.5 million Georgians. 

Last year, Carr led a 26-state coalition calling for the immediate passage of the Laken Riley Act, which was signed by President Trump on Jan. 29, 2025. He also wrote to the U.S. Senate in support of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which passed just last week. 

Carr previously filed suit against the Biden administration to stop the implementation of “catch and release,” to keep “Remain in Mexico” and Title 42 in place, and to ensure violent offenders who enter the country illegally are deported.