A British man is in shock after discovering that his tattoo has been featured in a US government document that is used to identify members of a notorious Venezuelan gang.
Pete Belton, a 44-year-old from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, was startled to find an image of his forearm tattoo used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of their efforts to spot members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang.
Tattoo Mistakenly Linked to Venezuelan Gang
Belton’s tattoo, which marks the birth of his daughter with a clock face showing the date and time, appeared in a set of images used by DHS to identify suspected members of the international crime syndicate.
The shocking revelation came as Belton prepared for a family trip to Miami in August.
He now worries that he could be wrongfully identified as a gang member and end up at the infamous US military prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, especially amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing crackdown on gangs.
The DHS document notes that members of the TdA gang are often depicted with specific tattoos, including crowns, trains, and stars.
But reverse image searches by BBC Verify traced the image of Belton’s tattoo back to an Instagram post by a Nottingham-based tattoo artist, showing no direct connection to the Venezuelan gang.
Rising Concerns and Growing Anxiety Over US Trip
Belton is understandably concerned that his tattoo could lead to a mix-up at the US border.
“In my head, I’m thinking if I’m working in border force and I saw me walking through, I’d think ‘hey up, we’ve got one, he’s the one in the document,'” he told the BBC.
Fearing that his family holiday might turn into a nightmare, Belton has considered canceling the trip altogether, but for now, he plans to monitor the situation as it develops.
The Trump Administration’s Tough Stance on Crime and Immigration
This incident comes at a time when President Trump has introduced stringent immigration policies, including turning Guantanamo into a holding facility for what he calls the “worst criminal aliens”—a move that could impact thousands of people deemed “hard to deport.”
The US government’s decision to use tattoos as one of the criteria for identifying gang members has sparked controversy, with experts cautioning that body art is not a reliable indicator of gang affiliation.
Experts Debate the Role of Tattoos in Identifying Gangs
While tattoos are being used to identify members of the TdA, some experts argue that body art is not a definitive marker of gang membership.
Professor Rebecca Hanson, a sociologist at the University of Florida, stated that gangs like the TdA do not have a history of using tattoos to signify affiliation.
According to Hanson, tattoos might be found on TdA members, but they do not form part of a collective identity for the gang.
The Tren de Aragua Gang and Its Growing Influence
The TdA is a criminal organization that emerged out of Venezuela’s economic and humanitarian crisis in 2014.
The gang, estimated to have around 5,000 members, operates both locally and internationally by forming alliances with other criminal groups.
With annual profits ranging from $10 million to $15 million, the gang’s influence is spreading, and it is becoming a significant concern for authorities both in Venezuela and abroad.
A Case of Misunderstanding and Potential Consequences
For now, Belton’s family is hoping that the authorities will recognize the mistake before their trip.
“Hopefully, they’d realize I’m not a Venezuelan gangster,” Belton said.
“But I’ve seen crazier things happen in the news recently, so we’re just going to wait and see.”