Venezuelan gangs getting away scot-free, NYPD says: 'Every single one of them is on the streets today'



New York Police Department Detective Bureau Assistant Chief Jason Savino warned that young and violent members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua are not facing any real consequences for their criminal actions in the Big Apple.

During a Tuesday interview with WNYW, Savino explained that the transnational gang has a significant presence in the Times Square area, particularly around the former Roosevelt Hotel turned immigrant shelter. He warned that the violent group has even started recruiting children.

'It's a product of bail reform.'

Savino stated that the police department is aware that the group has gotten its hands on many firearms, as evidenced by photographs posted online by alleged gang members.

He described TDA as "tremendously brazen" and "absolutely ruthless."

"Individuals ... have committed a multitude of crimes with basically no repercussions," Savino told WNYW.

The assistant chief explained that in the New York City area, the group started out as a robbery crew.

"Twenty individuals arrested for upwards of 50 robberies," Savino said. "And out of those 20 individuals, every single one of them is on the streets today."

According to Savino, the young gang members are not facing consequences because of their age and bail reforms.

"We put a lot on our DA [Alvin Bragg]; we have to look at our judges as well," he added.

As the gang has continued to establish itself in the city, its recruiting process has become more organized, he added.

"Formerly, it was kind of scattered all over the place," Savino said of TDA's recruiting efforts. "But now we're seeing that structure where there's actually kick-ups where people are recruiting these young members — as young as 11, and they've been described in some of these robbery incidents as young as eight years old."

Savino is deeply concerned there will soon be a gang war because the TDA subset in Times Square, which refers to itself as "Los Diablos de la 42" or "Little Devils on 42nd Street," has "called out" the Latin Kings, one of the city's most notorious gang.

"It's a recipe for potential disaster," Savino told WNYW.

He told the New York Post that the gang is communicating with one another using group chats "on their government-issued phones."

"It's a product of bail reform," Savino added. "We tried to try some in criminal court, somewhat unsuccessfully."

Bragg's office did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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75% of arrestees in NYC neighborhood are illegal aliens, police estimate



Law enforcement officers in New York City estimate that in some neighborhoods, the majority of arrestees are illegal aliens who are emboldened to commit crimes due to the city’s sanctuary status and relaxed bail guidelines.

Police sources told the New York Post that in recent months, as many as 75% of those arrested in Midtown Manhattan are illegal immigrants. The individuals are being detained for assault, robbery, and domestic violence, the sources noted. In Queens, more than 60% of arrestees are illegal aliens, the police sources estimated.

'Commit crimes and attack police officers and be out the next day.'

A Midtown Manhattan officer told the Post, “I would say about 75% of the arrests in Midtown Manhattan are migrants, mostly for robberies, assaults, domestic incidents, and selling counterfeit items.”

He clarified that the figure is an estimate because “you can’t be 100% sure [they’re migrants] unless you arrest them in a shelter or they’re dumb enough to give you a shelter address.”

According to the New York Police Department, the city’s sanctuary policies prohibit it from tracking the immigration status of offenders, the Post reported.

A spokesperson for the department told the news outlet, “Police officers are prohibited from asking about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses, or suspects, and therefore the NYPD doesn’t track data pertaining to immigration statuses.”

According to a Manhattan police officer, illegal immigrants are “easily” 75% of arrestees, excluding those arrested for petty larcenies at drug stores. He stated that illegal aliens are responsible for “most” of the pickpocketing incidents in the city.

“Most of the people we arrest are professionals — these aren’t their first crimes,” a law enforcement source told the news outlet.

“Crime would be down significantly if there was a wall and we could account for everyone who comes into the country,” the source added. “And more importantly, throw them out if they commit a crime.”

Police sources noted that illegal immigrants residing in the city’s shelter system know that they will likely be quickly released back out onto the street after an arrest.

A law enforcement officer at Queens Criminal Courthouse told the Post that the increase in crimes committed by illegal aliens can also be observed in the courts.

“There are days we have so many migrant cases we have to call in for extra Spanish interpreters,” the source stated.

Another court officer told the news outlet that nearly all cases on Mondays involve illegal aliens.

Patrick Hendry, the president of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York Inc., said that the city’s criminal justice system is “failing to protect” residents.

“Now word has gotten out that you can come to New York to commit crimes and attack police officers and be out the next day. That message needs to change in order to keep dangerous people off our city streets,” Hendry remarked.

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Illegal alien released after attack on NYC cops in May just got arrested, released for another alleged crime



An illegal alien who was accused of attacking two New York Police Department officers in May — after which he was granted a supervised release — was just released on his own recognizance for a different alleged crime.

According to a criminal complaint reviewed by the New York Post, 24-year-old Alexander Ayala around 3:30 p.m. Aug. 12 allegedly grabbed an unidentified woman's cellphone and Amazon credit card near the intersection of 11th Avenue and West 49th Street and then bolted on a bicycle. Ayala later that day tried to use the credit card at two businesses, the Post said, citing the complaint.

'The public safety of New Yorkers is clearly at risk.'

Ayala was charged with two counts of third-degree identity theft and one count of criminal possession of stolen property, the paper said. Since neither charge is eligible for bail, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office — headed by Democrat Alvin Bragg — requested that the court grant Ayala supervised release, the Post added.

Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Simiyon Haniff agreed, allowing Ayala to walk free on his own recognizance, the paper noted.

Yet, Ayala at the time was already facing several charges for previous, more severe crimes.

Earlier this year, Ayala was released from custody after he was charged with two counts of assault and one count of obstruction for allegedly participating in a brawl with NYPD officers at the Roosevelt Hotel, which is functioning as a shelter for illegal immigrants.

On May 19, a group of people at the shelter were accused of attacking two officers who were responding to reports of a dispute between two groups of illegal immigrants. In addition to allegedly participating in the melee, Ayala was also accused of attempting to steal one of the officer's hats to keep as a trophy. Three other illegal aliens also were arrested for their alleged participation in the assault.

One of the officers sustained injuries, including a bite on his left arm and bruises on his left leg. The other cop suffered head injuries and wounds on his arm. The NYPD officers were treated at a nearby hospital.

Prosecutors in that case recommended Ayala be held in jail on a $20,000 cash bond or a $20,000 insurance bond and a $40,000 partially secured surety bond, the Post reported. Instead, he and his alleged accomplices were granted supervised release. At least two other individuals involved in the scuffle also were reportedly released for earlier arrests.

What's more, Ayala at that time reportedly had a domestic violence charge on his rap sheet from December.

He's expected in court Sept.12 for both the May assault and recent theft charges.

Sources told the Post that the attack on the cops was similar to a caught-on-camera assault in January where a large mob of illegal aliens kicked and punched two NYPD officers in Times Square.

A group of 20 New York Republican senators wrote a letter in February to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urging her to remove Bragg. They slammed his handling of the Times Square assault, stating that his failed actions "must be the final straw."

"The public safety of New Yorkers is clearly at risk," lawmakers wrote.

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Columbia University fails to discipline students who took over campus with pro-Hamas protests, encampment: Report



A recent House report revealed that Columbia University has failed to discipline the vast majority of students who participated in the disruptive pro-Hamas protests that took over the school's campus.

The Committee on Education & the Workforce issued a press release Monday that claimed Columbia University has not expelled any of the students responsible for the volatile demonstrations and encampment takeover in April.

'Columbia has waved the white flag in surrender while offering up a get-out-of-jail-free card to those who participated in these unlawful actions.'

According to information provided by Columbia University to the committee, 40 students were arrested by New York Police Department officers on April 18 for allegedly participating in the unauthorized encampment. The police ultimately dropped the charges. The university allowed 18 of the students to remain in "good standing" in exchange for signing an "alternative resolution." As of early August, 38 were in good standing, with some waiting for a hearing and others on conditional disciplinary probation.

On April 29, 35 students were initially placed on interim suspension after they were accused of refusing to leave the makeshift encampment despite multiple warnings from the university, the panel analysis found. However, those suspensions were lifted for 29 students, and charges were dismissed, citing "not enough information to substantiate participation." Thirty-one of the students who were accused of participating are in good standing with the university.

Only four of the 22 students who were arrested on April 30 after locking themselves inside Hamilton Hall are "not in good standing" with the university, the report read. Three of those students are facing interim suspension, and one is "currently on disciplinary probation from a prior hearing."

On May 1, the NYPD arrested 27 students at various locations around campus, but all of the cases were later dismissed, citing "insufficient evidence," according to the committee's report. Those cases did not impact the students' standing with the school.

Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) stated, "The failure of Columbia's invertebrate administration to hold accountable students who violate university rules and break the law is disgraceful and unacceptable."

"More than three months after the criminal takeover of Hamilton Hall, the vast majority of the student perpetrators remain in good standing," she continued. "By allowing its own disciplinary process to be thwarted by radical students and faculty, Columbia has waved the white flag in surrender while offering up a get-out-of-jail-free card to those who participated in these unlawful actions."

"Breaking into campus buildings or creating antisemitic hostile environments like the encampment should never be given a single degree of latitude — the university's willingness to do just that is reprehensible," Foxx added.

A Columbia University spokesperson told the New York Post that the school "is committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of discrimination and taking sustained, concrete action toward a campus where everyone in our community feels valued and is able to thrive."

"Following the disruptions of the last academic year, Columbia immediately began disciplinary processes, including with immediate suspensions. The disciplinary process is ongoing for many students involved in these disruptions, including some of those who were arrested, and we have been working to expedite the process for this large volume of violations," the spokesperson said.

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Illegal aliens near violent NYC shelter apparently form massive, illicit open-air market: 'Getting out of hand'



In recent weeks, illegal aliens have set up a makeshift encampment outside the Randalls Island shelter, where they are apparently operating an illicit open-air market, selling drugs, loose cigarettes, and food.

According to the New York Post, the once lush park has now been taken over by an illegal tent city that is littered with trash, blankets, and clothing. The encampment, situated along the East River on Randalls Island, has more than 50 tents. The city has stationed two portable toilets in the area, but the Post reported that they were "filthy and overflowing, and don't appear to have been serviced for at least a week."

'It's a calamity.'

Some of the illegal aliens residing in the park have managed to crack into the city's utility poles to steal electricity for cooking or take over water fountains for bathing.

The news outlet reported that more than two dozen tents line the park's pathway, and numerous electric scooters zip by at high speeds through the bicycle paths.

One Manhattan resident told the Post that illegal immigrants are chasing and threatening local residents out of the area.

"This is my zen place. Well, it was my zen place," the resident stated. "There was never any trash here, and it's filled with trash here."

"It's a calamity place now," she added.

A New York Police Department officer stationed in the area told the Post that the open-air market and encampment situation is "getting out of hand."

WABC-TV reported Wednesday that NYPD officers came through the area to perform a sweep and dismantle the encampment. Law enforcement reportedly confiscated unregistered motor vehicles. The Post noted that a similar encampment sprouted up last year that police had to clear out repeatedly.

NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell stated, "We don't care about your status, we're here to fight crime — whoever you may be, wherever you hang out, wherever you live."

According to the Post, many of the illegal aliens residing in the makeshift unlawful encampment were previously housed at the nearby Randalls Island shelter, which has become a hub for violence since it opened last year.

A number of rowdy and even deadly altercations have broken out at the shelter. Just last month, a shooting near the shelter resulted in one death and two injuries. Earlier this year, a 24-year-old male who lived at the Randalls Island shelter was stabbed and killed by a group of men also residing at the shelter.

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Top NYPD Chief Says City’s Sanctuary Policies Should Be Vaporized After Migrant Allegedly Raped Woman At Knifepoint

'Deeply unpopular'

Rapes spike 11% in NYC amid illegal immigration crisis, limited police resources: 'Should be a wake-up call'



New York City, a sanctuary jurisdiction for illegal aliens, has experienced an 11% increase in reported rapes this year, according to the New York Post.

The paper revealed that from January 1 through July 14, 880 rapes were reported across the city. New York Police Department data showed that over the same period the previous year, 796 rapes were reported.

'Rate of cases being dismissed has gone up, [and] the rate of cases not being pursued has gone up because of the progressive prosecutorial methods.'

Jane Manning, director of Women's Equal Justice, told the Post that the alarming increase in reported sexual assaults "should be a wake-up call."

"The NYPD needs to allocate more investigators to its understaffed Special Victims Unit so that every case is investigated well and dangerous offenders are apprehended," Manning stated.

In March, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York released a statement warning that the NYPD is experiencing a staffing crisis.

PBA President Patrick Hendry told News 12, "No one is becoming an NYPD police officer right now for the long term. They're taking it for a stepping stone to get something better – something with better salary, pensions, quality of life."

The 10th precinct, located in Manhattan, experienced the most significant jump in reported rapes with a 300% increase. Midtown South, which covers Times Square, saw a 111% year-to-date uptick, according to NYPD stats.

While most rapists know their victims, there has been a recent increase in "stranger rapes," the NYPD reported.

One such instance included a caught-on-camera attack on May 21 at East 152nd Street and 3rd Avenue. The assailant walked up behind a woman on the street, threw a belt around her neck, dragged her to the ground, and attacked her between two vehicles, the video showed.

Christian Inga, a 25-year-old foreign national who entered the United States illegally, was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at knifepoint in New York City on June 13.

Rafael Mangual, a criminal justice policy expert and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told the Post, "It's no secret that the NYPD is down significantly in terms of force size. Because it's down, whenever it decides to prioritize something — say for example subway offenses — that's going to make the topside slightly more vulnerable, as far as more cops are now below ground."

Mangual also blamed the uptick in crime on the state's Raise the Age law and soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

"The rate of cases being dismissed has gone up, [and] the rate of cases not being pursued has gone up because of the progressive prosecutorial methods of Bragg, [Brooklyn DA] Eric Gonzalez, and [Bronx DA] Darcel Clark," Mangual also told the paper.

An NYPD spokesperson told the Post that the department "vigorously investigates every single rape complaint and will continue to work to bring justice to the survivors of these heinous crimes."

Anything else?

Other nonviolent crimes, including retail theft, also have become an issue in New York City since the increase in illegal immigration under the administration of President Joe Biden.

Chris Sciacco, the owner of Kaiya's Pallets at 36-37 31st St. in Long Island City, recently told the Post in a separate story that his business "won't survive" if the rampant shoplifting crisis continues. He claims illegal aliens target his 4,500-square-foot variety store up to six times per week, costing him about $3,000 each month in losses.

"It's affecting the business and affecting our overhead," Sciacco told the paper. "I don't know if we can continue to survive at this rate."

On July 11, one man stole an entire pallet of Gatorade from Sciacco's store, he stated.

"I called [the NYPD] six times, waited over eight hours, and not one cop showed up to help me," he said. "I also tried to flag down over 30 cop cars on the street, and not one stopped to help me or even see what was wrong."

New York's sanctuary policies have prevented local law enforcement officials from cooperating with federal immigration officials. However, the Biden administration's acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director P.J. Lechleitner recently told NBC News that some sanctuary jurisdictions appear to be reconsidering their policies.

"For many, many years, certain states and jurisdictions just have been really reticent about dealing with us because of the civil immigration piece of it," Lechleitner explained. "You've seen some examples of this where some individuals unfortunately were encountered by local law enforcement and because of the policies put in place, either at the state or local level, they weren't allowed to notify immigration authorities ... and all of a sudden you have people being released and reoffending."

He added that "at-large arrests put the citizenry at risk because we have to do an arrest in neighborhoods. We shouldn't have to do that. Let's do it in a controlled setting, so everyone's safe. My folks are safe, the local community's safe, and the non-citizens are safe as well."

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Illegal alien mob charged for allegedly assaulting NYPD officers who were checking on unsupervised children



A mob of illegal immigrants who allegedly assaulted New York Police Department officers while they were attempting to check in on unsupervised children were recently indicted, Fox News Digital reported Tuesday.

According to prosecutors, six suspects — Juan Munoz, 25; Alejandro Munoz, 42; Karina Navarro-Chavez, 42; Miguel Chiluisa, 23; Cristian Taipe, 30; and Natali Iza, 27 — were charged with attempted assault in the first degree, attempted gang assault in the first and second degrees, and other crimes related to the attack.

'My office will vigorously prosecute.'

The New York Post previously reported that the group was outside a Queens hotel that was converted into a shelter for illegal aliens when the assault occurred around 4:20 a.m. on June 17. Two NYPD officers were attempting to check in on three unattended children riding bicycles outside the shelter when the suspects surrounded them and began punching, kicking, and throwing objects.

Chiluisa was also charged with second- and third-degree escape. Both Chiluisa and Iza are facing two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stated, "Two police officers, who were checking on the welfare of unattended children at 4:20 a.m., were allegedly surrounded and punched and kicked by a group of adults in an assault outside a Long Island City hotel."

"My office will vigorously prosecute those who harm members of law enforcement, and we will hold these defendants responsible for their alleged actions," Katz added.

Fox News Digital reported that Iza allegedly pushed and struck one of the officers who approached the children. Iza also reportedly hit an officer with a bicycle. Chiluisa was accused of throwing and striking an officer with a children's bike. Navarro-Chavez was accused of striking an officer with an unknown object.

Chiluisa allegedly attempted to flee the scene after being handcuffed. He was apprehended a short time later. Law enforcement stated that one of the handcuffs had been broken.

Both of the officers were treated at a nearby hospital for their injuries, which included shoulder pain and abrasions.

A large mob of illegal alien males attacked two NYPD officers earlier this year outside a shelter in Times Square. The brutal scuffle was caught on video. Six of the illegal immigrants were offered plea deals by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office.

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Tren de Aragua gang tied to over 100 investigations, including shootings and sex trafficking crimes: Report



The violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has been tied to more than 100 criminal investigations in the United States, according to a Wednesday NBC News report.

The news outlet stated that U.S. law enforcement and immigration officials have initiated investigations involving shootings and sex trafficking crimes that are linked to the criminal organization.

New York Police Department officials have referred to Tren de Aragua members as "ghost criminals" because there is little information available to identify them other than their gang-affiliated tattoos.

Jason Savino, the NYPD's assistant chief of detectives, told NBC News, "Their identity may be misrepresented; their date of birth may be misrepresented."

"Everything about that individual could potentially be misrepresented," he added.

Before reaching the U.S.-Mexico border, many illegal aliens toss their identification cards and passports to prevent law enforcement agents from identifying them.

Venezuela does not cooperate with the U.S. to provide criminal background information about its citizens. Therefore, Customs and Border Protection agents have limited information about the potential criminal history of Venezuelan citizens crossing the border. Additionally, Venezuela largely refuses to accept deportation flights.

Former Border Patrol agent Ammon Blair told NBC News that U.S. border officials will only have access to a Venezuelan national's criminal history if they obtain the information from Interpol or that individual already has a criminal record in the U.S.

DHS' Homeland Security Investigation told the news outlet that it has over 100 open investigations involving members of the gang.

Last month, HSI arrested three Tren de Aragua members who were accused of running a sex trafficking operation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The gang members allegedly forced Venezuelan women into sex work to pay off smuggler debt for bringing them into the U.S. The individuals were reportedly apprehended by Border Patrol agents in Texas after illegally crossing into the country but later released.

Law enforcement agents in Indiana are investigating another suspected sex trafficking operation involving Tren de Aragua members.

On June 3, two NYPD officers were shot by a Venezuelan national illegally in the U.S. and believed to be a member of the gang. NBC News reported that it is unclear whether the suspect's involvement with the gang was known to Venezuelan authorities.

"While the group is well established in many South American countries," an Interpol spokesperson stated, "there is evidence that it is now expanding North, into Mexico and the United States, where key Tren de Aragua members have already been identified."

A DHS spokesperson told NBC News, "DHS screens and vets individuals prior to their entry to the United States. If an individual poses a threat to national security or public safety, we deny admission, detain, remove, or refer them to other federal agencies for further vetting, investigation and/or prosecution as appropriate."

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‘We Have Enough Criminals’: NYC Lawmakers Unveil Bill To End City’s Sanctuary Status Amid Immigration Crisis

'Should be repealed'