Gang Activity in South Texas

• Significant Presence: The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) estimates there are as many as 100,000 gang members in the entire state of Texas.
• Major Hubs: While Harris County (Houston area) consistently reports the highest number of violent crimes in the state, San Antonio is also a major center for gang activity and violence.
• Transnational Links: Many Texas-based gangs, such as the Tango Blast cliques (e.g., Corpus Christi Tangos and San Antonio Tangos) and prison gangs like the Texas Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi), have established relationships with Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organizations, which contributes to violence in border areas.
• Recent Law Enforcement Actions: South Texas has been the focus of major anti-gang operations.
  • In November 2025, over 140 arrests were made in a multi-agency operation in the San Antonio area, which included the arrest of 27 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TDA).
  • Operation Lone Star efforts often result in the apprehension of gang members involved in human smuggling and narcotics trafficking along the border in areas like Hidalgo, Cameron, and Webb counties.
• Nature of Violence: Gangs are heavily involved in a range of organized criminal activities, including drug and firearm trafficking, murder, aggravated assault, and human smuggling. The violence often stems from competition for territory or fragile alliances between groups. 

For official reports and further information, you can refer to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) website which publishes regular gang threat assessments, or consult local law enforcement sites for specific city data.

gang fights” as law enforcement agencies generally track and report data on gang-related crimes, arrests, and overall threat assessments rather than the exact count of individual physical altercations

. Gang activity in South Texas is an ongoing public safety issue, with federal, state, and local agencies actively conducting operations to combat gang-related crime. 

Key information regarding the gang situation in South Texas:

• Significant Presence: The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has estimated there are over 100,000 gang members throughout the state, with various groups active in South Texas cities like San Antonio and Corpus Christi.
• Violent Crime: Gangs in Texas are heavily involved in organized criminal activities including drug and human trafficking, murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. Law enforcement reports indicate that a high percentage of violent crime in some jurisdictions is gang-related.
• Major Operations: Law enforcement regularly conducts major operations to disrupt gang activity. For example, recent operations in San Antonio in November 2025 resulted in over 140 arrests related to transnational criminal activity and the Tren de Aragua gang. Other operations in South Texas have resulted in numerous indictments for violent crimes and drug trafficking.
• Specific Groups: Notable gangs operating in the region include the Tango Blast cliques (specifically the San Antonio “Orejones” and Corpus Christi “Corpitos” sets), the Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi), and Barrio Azteca, among others. 

For detailed statistics on crime in specific areas, you can often find reports on city or county websites, such as the San Antonio Police Department’s crime statistics report, or use official resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety for state-level threat assessments.