DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s confidence in deporting individuals identified as gang members stems from coordinated intelligence efforts and legal frameworks. Under her leadership, the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) tracked over using cross-agency collaboration, demonstrating rigorous vetting processes. This interagency approach ensures multi-source validation of threats, prioritizing accuracy in targeting deportations.

The Trump administration has leveraged the , a 1798 law allowing wartime deportation of noncitizens, to remove Venezuelan migrants linked to crimes. While U.S. intelligence found no direct coordination between the Tren de Aragua gang and Venezuela’s government, the gang’s widespread criminal activities—including kidnappings and extortion—provide grounds for individual deportations based on personal conduct rather than state affiliation. Gabbard’s team emphasizes over geopolitical claims, aligning deportations with documented criminal records.

Supreme Court rulings have reinforced this strategy, requiring hearings before deportations under the Act, which Gabbard’s office supports as a safeguard against errors. Her public defense of secure communication tools like Signal further highlights efforts to protect sensitive intelligence during operations, ensuring decisions rely on verified data. Critics argue the administration’s broad use of wartime powers risks overreach, but Gabbard maintains that justify these actions.