New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has reportedly moved to limit federal agents’ ability to monitor Tren de Aragua and other gangs inside the Rikers Island prison complex.
Mamdani revoked Executive Order 50 on his first day in office, which had allowed federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, to monitor members of the notorious Venezuelan gang inside the city jail, according to a New York Post report.
The mayor, a democratic socialist, eliminated the initiative as part of a sweeping directive repealing all executive orders issued by his predecessor, former Mayor Eric Adams, between Sept. 26 and Dec. 31.
Federal officials now fear the gang could ramp up its operations behind bars, a source told the Post.
“The federal government has long been worried about Tren de Aragua in Rikers Island because they have a more robust communication system to get information to the outside world,” the source said.
According to the source, the gang relies on corrupt prison guards, released inmates and visitors to shuttle messages in and out of the prison.
Federal agents are especially concerned because, for the first time, the gang’s operatives in the U.S. are located just 15 miles from their leader — Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro — who is being held in a federal jail in Brooklyn, the source said.
“Zohran kills exec. order No. 50 just as we should be more focused on the Venezuelan gang in Rikers — did he know that? Does he think that the gang should have one less pair of eyes?” the source said.
“With dad away, the kids will play. Instead of Zohran making sure there’s a babysitter, he took one away,” the source said.
Newsmax reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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