At least 40 individuals were taken into custody during a raid on a remote property near Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, as confirmed by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security indicated that the FBI gathered intelligence on a potential meeting of suspected Tren de Aragua members or affiliates in Hays County. This led federal and local authorities to establish enough probable cause to secure a search warrant for the property, which was then executed by the DPS’ Special Response Team.

Authorities reported that drugs were confiscated as part of this multiagency operation, and at least 40 arrests were made in and around the residence. According to DHS sources, the majority of those taken into custody are believed to be members or associates of Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan prison gang.

The early-morning raid involved agents from the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, DHS and the Hays County Sheriff’s Department.

Video obtained by shows that those who were arrested were transported away from the site in an ICE van and bus. The video also shows protesters forming a human shield to try to stop the vehicles attempting to leave the federal facility. Austin police confirmed that officers stepped in to deal with 15 protesters who were blocking the road, trying to prevent the ICE vehicles from leaving.

Protesters allege that children were among those who were taken into custody. In a statement released on Wednesday, the FBI announced that minors were among those taken into custody. The agency said that state and federal prosecutors will evaluate possible criminal charges based on the evidence collected through the execution of the search warrant and the subsequent investigation.

The FBI said that more information will be released as it becomes available.

Deportations face legal battle

The raid took place as several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed lawsuits attempting to stop the deportations of Venezuelan nationals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The U.S. Justice Department has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and allow the deportation of suspected Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador.

Justice Department officials argue that President Donald Trump has the authority to deport suspected Tren de Aragua members under the Alien Enemies Act after he ruled that the gang and others like MS-13 have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations.

The Trump administration is seeking to have Judge James Boasberg’s ruling that temporarily freezes deportation flights overturned. Boasberg claims that the administration defied a previous order by allowing flights with Venezuelan nationals and suspected gang members on board to take off. The Trump administration acknowledged this week that an administrative error allowed a Maryland man to be deported to El Salvador.

White House officials, however, have argued that the man, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, is a former member of MS-13, which designates him for deportation under Trump’s executive order.