Laken Riley murder suspect confirmed to be part of brutal Venezuelan gang



Jose Ibarra, the suspected murderer of University of Georgia student Laken Riley, is currently on trial for the gruesome crime that shocked the nation as it highlighted the impacts of the border crisis created by the Biden-Harris administration.

Sources at the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Ibarra is a member of Tren de Aragua, NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley reported. The New York Post made a similar report back in March.

TDA is a gang that formed in Venezuela and has largely controlled the black market in the country as it declined under socialist policies. Gang members have also reportedly acted as enforcers for the Venezuelan government against its perceived enemies.

The gang has been connected to murders, violent thefts, extortions, and human trafficking rings as members have expanded their area of operations.

Ibarra, like many other Venezuelans, took advantage of United States' open border and illegally crossed into El Paso, Texas, in 2022. He was released into the country, where he eventually ended up in New York City. While there, he was arrested for lesser crimes but was released before U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could put a detainer on him.

A roommate of Ibarra and his brother, who is also a member of TDA, testified they were able to get from New York City to Athens, Georgia, in September 2023 by going to the Roosevelt Hotel, where they received a "humanitarian flight."

"On January 20th, the protection of criminal illegal aliens in America ENDS once and for all," President-elect Donald Trump's campaign said on Monday in response to the revelation.

Prosecutors are calling Riley's murder a crime of opportunity. Ibarra allegedly encountered her while she was out for a jog near the college. Data from Riley's smartwatch revealed she fought off her attacker for almost 20 minutes before he apparently used a rock to crush her skull.

TDA has been in the news since the gang came to prominence in late 2023. The gang has been connected to murders, violent thefts, extortions, and human trafficking rings as members have expanded their areas of operation. Before the border crisis started in 2021, TDA mostly stayed within South America, having followed other Venezuelans who escaped their crippled nation.

TDA is present in states such as Texas, New York, Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, and Illinois.

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Violent Venezuelan gang infiltrates every major city in Tennessee



The vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has infiltrated every major city in Tennessee, according to state officials.

TDA has been tied to criminal activity across the United States, including apartment takeovers in Aurora, Colorado, and violent crimes in New York City and Dallas, Texas. Thus far, the gang has primarily, but not exclusively, focused on expanding its presence in sanctuary jurisdictions, where local law enforcement agencies are forbidden to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

'They will not hesitate to attack their opponents in public and in broad daylight.'

During a budget meeting this week, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation director David Rausch warned Governor Bill Lee (R) that TDA has recently become a growing threat in the state.

According to Rausch, the gang started to appear in Tennessee two years ago, but its influence has substantially expanded over the past few months. He noted that TDA is active in Memphis and Nashville.

"We first saw them a couple years ago where we uncovered a group here in a human trafficking operation," Rausch explained. "We recognized a number of the members here trafficking females that they had abducted from Venezuela and brought them here."

The bureau successfully captured several individuals involved in the illicit operation, but "many of them fled" out of Tennessee, Rausch said.

"Now what we are seeing is they are back. They are back in all of our major cities," he declared.

When TDA arrives in a new area, it starts by running trafficking operations, then expands into other criminal activities, including organized retail theft and drug trafficking, Rausch told Lee.

He expressed concerns about TDA's brazenness and its targeting of cartel members.

"They will, and they have taken on the cartel head-on, and they're very violent in their efforts," Rausch continued. "They will not hesitate to attack their opponents in public and in broad daylight."

"Recently, there was a video that they shot where they shot an individual, a cartel member, 31 times. Broad daylight, on video, and posted it to social media," he stated.

Rausch did not share how many TDA gang members he believes are in the state but noted that "they're in numbers here."

According to Straight Arrow News, the Knoxville Police Department is unaware of any TDA activity in the area.

The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly identified more than 600 individuals in the U.S. with ties to TDA, Blaze News previously reported. The federal government has confirmed the gang's activity in at least 15 states, and it may have expanded to another eight.

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Chicago Mayor Johnson labels Trump a ‘threat’ to ‘black families’ in vow to shield illegal aliens from deportation



During a speech reaffirming his commitment to keep Chicago a sanctuary city, Mayor Brandon Johnson labeled President-elect Donald Trump a “threat” to “black families.”

Since August 2022, Chicago has spent roughly $150 million to provide housing and food to 43,000 migrant arrivals.

'His threat is not just toward new arrivals and undocumented families.'

On Tuesday, in his first statement addressing Trump's victory, Johnson vowed to protect illegal aliens from the incoming administration's mass deportation plans.

"We will not bend or break," Johnson declared. "Our values will remain strong and firm. We will face likely hurdles in our work over the next four years, but we will not be stopped and we will not go back."

Johnson made a perplexing claim that Trump's commitment to deport illegal immigrants is somehow a threat to black families in America.

"The president-elect, former President Trump, his threat is not just toward new arrivals and undocumented families. His threats are also against black families," he stated. "We're going to stand up and protect undocumented individuals."

Johnson has referred to Trump as a "tyrant" and claimed that his plan to deport large numbers of illegal aliens is "unconscionable and dangerous."

The mayor made the commitment to keep Chicago a sanctuary despite a significant rise in criminal activities associated with the transnational crime group Tren de Aragua.

According to locals, the South Side of Chicago has become overrun with Venezuelan migrants, including TDA members.

Tyrone Muhammad, founder and CEO of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, warned in September that the city might soon "go up in flames," raising concerns about TDA members who have been challenging notorious local gangs.

Records obtained by the New York Post revealed that at least 30 of the gang's members have been arrested by the Chicago Police Department from January 2023 through September 2024.

Despite this, Johnson stated that the CPD would be prohibited from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

Trump tapped former ICE director Tom Homan as his administration's "border czar."

Homan had a harsh warning for sanctuary jurisdictions that aim to protect illegal aliens from federal law enforcement officials.

"Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals," Homan declared.

"If you are not going to help us, get the hell out of the way because we're gonna do it," Homan said on Monday. "So if we can't get assistance in New York City, we may have to double the number of agents we send in New York City."

Homan pledged to "flood agents to sanctuary cities" to rid the country of criminal illegal aliens.

Muhammad told Fox News Digital, "We're going to be on the ground with him [Homan] to remove these illegals and these migrants and identifying where they are because they have greatly diminished our way of life here in Chicago."

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600 immigrants with possible ties to Venezuelan gang identified — fewer than 5% in federal custody



The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly identified more than 600 immigrants currently in the United States who have possible ties to Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang.

According to data obtained and released by NBC News on Wednesday, approximately 100 of the individuals have been designated as “subjects of interest” after they were found to be confirmed gang members. The DHS advised the FBI to place those individuals on its watch list, officials told the news outlet.

'Almost disturbingly low.'

It noted that after further review, the rest of the 500 immigrants may be gang members themselves or victims and witnesses linked to the gang.

The DHS data obtained by NBC News also revealed that TDA has confirmed activity in at least 15 states and may have a presence in another eight.

A spokesperson for the department told the news outlet, “DHS has an ongoing operation to crack down on gang members through re-screening certain individuals previously encountered, in addition to the rigorous screening and vetting at the border.”

“All individuals confirmed or suspected to be gang members are referred for criminal prosecution or detained and placed into expedited removal,” the spokesperson added.

However, the data revealed that fewer than 5% of the 600 individuals identified by the DHS are in federal custody with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A DHS official told NBC News that ICE has not yet detained some of the individuals because they are currently in custody with other law enforcement agencies, or ICE may not know where the individuals are located. The official also stated that the federal government may still be confirming the individuals’ connections to the gang or to crimes.

According to the DHS official, TDA “prey[s] first and foremost on Venezuelans.”

“We know that they control human smuggling routes out of Venezuela and into Colombia and into Panama. And they are controlling more of these passages as individuals move north through Mexico,” the official said.

Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence and an NBC News contributor, called the DHS’ discovery of 600 immigrants with possible ties to TDA “almost disturbingly low.”

“It should be higher,” he added.

Ammon Blair, a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and former Border Patrol agent, told NBC News that the federal government does not know the full extent of TDA’s presence in the U.S.

“When you look at the process, unfortunately, they’re just steamrolled through,” Blair stated. “The Border Patrol has created a conveyor belt, an automated system to process them and release them as fast as possible into the United States. We were not asking questions.”

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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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Aurora apartment owner confirms Venezuelan gang takeovers — releases shocking evidence of bloody assault



CBZ Management, a company that owns a number of apartment complexes in Colorado, broke its silence on Friday, confirming that the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has taken over several properties.

The company started an account on X to share its side of the story after many local officials and the media reported that the claims of TDA's takeover were overblown.

'Yes, gangs did take control of our apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, and the government did nothing. That is the real story.'

Rumors of the transnational gang's expanded presence in the area became seemingly undeniable in late August when Cindy Romero, a former tenant at the Edge at Lowry, a property owned by CBZ, released a video showing a group of armed men storming through the complex, Blaze News previously reported. Another video the then-tenant captured showed a man using a hammer to destroy the deadbolt lock on the same apartment unit.

Cindy Romero and her husband, Edward, were desperate to leave the complex, saying it had become "a nightmare" since the gang had moved in. Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky ultimately helped find the Romeros another place to live.

At the time, Jurinksy told Fox News Digital that it was "like pulling teeth to get anyone, the media, other elected officials ... to acknowledge the presence of this trend and to acknowledge that there is even a problem."

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) called the TDA invasion "largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination."

CBZ explained that it had begun managing the Colorado properties in 2019, and, at that time, the apartments "were in poor condition." The company aimed to renovate the complexes and increase their value, noting that the project was "ambitious" and would "take years" to complete.

"Everything was progressing smoothly: property values were rising, and vacancy rates were dropping. It was a win-win for both the owners and the city of Aurora," CBZ wrote in a lengthy thread on X. "Then, the gangs arrived."

In 2023, one of CBZ's representatives was viciously attacked when he attempted to perform an inspection at one of the properties, the company stated. When he arrived, he found "a group of men" inside a three-bedroom apartment that should have been vacated.

"When he refused their $500 bribe to overlook the situation, they brutally attacked him," CBZ wrote.

The company released a short surveillance video of the attack and a photograph taken shortly afterward showing the victim's injuries. In the picture, the representative's face and shirt were covered in blood, and he appeared to have bruising around his eye.

Unfortunately, it did not end there for the CBZ representative, the company said.

"After the attack on our CBZ representative, he began getting threatening text messages," the company continued. "These criminals revealed his home address and his spouse's name."

According to CBZ, law enforcement officials confirmed that those sending the messages and occupying the complexes were TDA members.

"They also mentioned that our situation was just 'a blip on the radar,' as this gang is causing significant problems nationwide," CBZ said.

After effectively taking over three complexes, gang members allegedly presented CBZ with an ultimatum to split the rental income in half or "lose the buildings permanently."

CBZ said it made the decision to withdraw its management team from the properties due to safety concerns.

"Despite the obvious crisis, several city officials refused to acknowledge the reality. Instead, they blamed us, citing 'code violations' as the reason for shutting down our property—violations we couldn't resolve for tenants who weren't even ours," CBZ wrote.

The company claimed that the only violations it did not resolve were those made after the gang took over.

Even after local reports surfaced of authorities arresting 10 confirmed TDA gang members with ties to the apartment takeovers, the media and local officials continued to call others' concerns overblown.

On Sunday, Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), humiliated ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz for trying to downplay the severity of the situation in Aurora. According to Raddatz, former President Donald Trump's claims that TDA has taken over parts of the city have been debunked.

"Do you support Donald Trump making those claims that the Republican mayor says were grossly exaggerated and have hurt the city's identity and sense of safety?" Raddatz asked Vance.

"Martha, you just said the mayor said they were exaggerated. That means there's got to be some element of truth here," Vance responded.

Raddatz interrupted Vance's reply and stated that the TDA takeovers "were limited to a handful of apartment complexes."

"Martha, do you hear yourself?!" Vance fired back. "Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris' open border?!"

In a post on X, CBZ wrote, "Despite clear evidence, many still deny the reality of the situation, sometimes using us as scapegoats. That's why we are no longer staying silent. We will continue to counter falsehoods with simple facts and evidence."

"Yes, gangs did take control of our apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, and the government did nothing. That is the real story," it added.

Cindy Romero told Fox News on Monday that the media's attempts to minimize the situation feel like "a slap in the face."

"How many gangs is OK to have in Aurora? How many properties is OK to take over? How many people, who are citizens paying their bills, is it OK to displace?" Romero asked.

An Aurora representative told the New York Post that CBZ's claims were "exaggerations."

"These delinquent property owners, managers and/or 'investors' conveniently fail to acknowledge that their own bank lenders took them to court in the last few weeks where a judge ordered some of their problematic properties into receivership," the spokesperson stated. "That means a judge has given the legal authority to a third-party receiver to actually manage the properties, and who the property owners will be forced to compensate."

The FBI declined to comment, the Post reported.

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Texas police sweep apartment apparently controlled by vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, arrest 20



Law enforcement officials in San Antonio, Texas, conducted a raid on Saturday that led to the arrest of 20 individuals, four of whom were confirmed members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Over the past year, TDA has rapidly expanded its transnational crime ring into parts of the United States, namely Colorado, Chicago, and New York. In Aurora, Colorado, the gang's members have taken over multiple apartment complexes, Blaze News previously reported.

'We're on to you and we're coming for you.'

TDA members reportedly took over Palatia Apartments, a complex in San Antonio. Authorities confirmed that the gang was "in control of" the property and using it as a base to commit a number of crimes.

According to WOAI-TV, TDA has been involved in prostitution, selling cocaine, and violent crimes.

Law enforcement officers conducted the weekend raid following several complaints involving narcotics violations, human trafficking, and threats made to the complex's personnel, according to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.

McManus told reporters on Saturday that the sweep was conducted by a task force consisting of officers from the SAPD, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security.

"We had information that members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua were in control of the area and committing various crimes," McManus stated.

Officers cleared nearly 300 vacant apartments at the complex and arrested 20 individuals. One of the TDA gang members who was arrested was a "confirmed enforcer for that gang," according to McManus.

"Currently, there's 19 individuals arrested with 15 detainers," he said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detainer requests.

The confirmed TDA members were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations and ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations.

"They were individuals with confirmed warrants. Multiple individuals had already had removal orders through HSI," McManus added.

He noted that the investigation is still ongoing.

According to McManus, TDA has been operating in the area for "several months."

He stated that the department has other locations that it plans to raid as well in its ongoing effort to clamp down on the gang's influence.

"We assure the community and members of the public that we are committed to their safety and we are on top of this TDA issue that seems to have become very public lately," McManus said.

"We're on to you and we're coming for you. We know where you are," he stated, directing his comments to TDA.

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Blaze News investigates: Tren de Aragua exploits Colorado's sanctuary policies amid legal firestorm



While the Biden-Harris administration's open border policies have allowed waves of illegal immigrants to resettle in the United States, Colorado's sanctuary policies brought the immigration crisis "right to the doorsteps of communities in the front range," Castle Rock Town Council Member Max Brooks (R) told Blaze News.

Sanctuary policies, including those in Colorado, have prevented local law enforcement officials from cooperating with federal immigration agents, effectively protecting illegal immigrants — including those who have committed crimes after entering the U.S. — by creating massive roadblocks for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers seeking to detain and deport them. These restrictions have made ICE's work far more dangerous, time-consuming, and expensive.

The state's and Denver's sanctuary policies have acted as magnets for illegal immigrants pouring into the country under the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, and multiple counties and surrounding municipalities have had enough of dealing with the fallout.

One of the most concerning aspects of the immigration spillover effect happening around the Denver area is the potential spread of the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

TDA heads to Aurora

TDA, a former prison gang that got its start as a railroad labor union in Aragua, Venezuela, has grown into a transnational crime syndicate that has successfully made its way into the U.S. in unknown numbers.

While the Biden-Harris administration maintains that foreign nationals coming into the country are required to undergo advanced vetting processes, the evidence says otherwise.

‘There are several buildings’ that have ‘fallen to these Venezuelan gangs.’

Despite the Venezuelan government's refusal to share its criminal database information with the U.S., the administration launched the CHNV program, which allows 30,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the country each month.

The federal government also extended Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelan nationals on the basis that they cannot "safely" return to their country of origin, citing "a severe humanitarian emergency due to a political and economic crisis, as well as human rights violations and abuses and high levels of crime and violence, that impacts access to food, medicine, healthcare, water, electricity, and fuel, and has led to high levels of poverty," according a Federal Register notice.

It also noted that the country has "experienced heavy rainfall" in 2023 that caused flooding and landslides — issues that the federal government claimed "contribute to the country's existing challenges."

According to the notice, one of the reasons for granting TPS status to Venezuelan nationals is because the country has the "highest rates of violent deaths in the world," in large part due to "organized gangs."

Meanwhile, these federal programs and the administration's catch-and-release policies at the border have allowed millions of Venezuelans to take up residence in the U.S. Even more concerning, vetting of these individuals is limited to U.S. crime databases and INTERPOL.

As a result, TDA has been able to expand its influence into America, and more specifically, appearing to congregate in sanctuary jurisdictions that will further protect its gang members from any of the federal government's deportation efforts.

The immigration crisis' impact on Aurora, which is not a sanctuary city, received national attention after reports that TDA gangbangers were taking over several apartment complexes. Some local officials initially denied the claims that TDA had gained a foothold in the area, but in August, a surveillance video showed armed men storming through an Aurora apartment complex, Blaze News previously reported.

The video evidence further ignited fears that TDA had conquered parts of the city.

The footage captured five men, four carrying firearms, banging on the door of a residence at the Edge of Lowry. A separate video taken of the same apartment but at a presumably earlier time showed a man taking a hammer to the door's deadbolt lock.

A couple who were former residents at the complex told KDVR that living at the property had turned into "a nightmare" for them, stating that their vehicle was riddled with bullet holes from a shootout that had occurred earlier the same month.

The couple thanked Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky for helping them move out of the complex, which they stated had become home to TDA gang members.

Jurinsky told KDVR at the time that nonprofit organizations in the city had "lined up" to assist the new immigrant arrivals, "but nobody is helping the Americans that are trapped in these apartment complexes."

Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain initially claimed that the investigation into the incident did not find any gang ties.

"There's a lot of limitations, a lot of rules, a lot of regulations that relate to identifying someone as a specific gang member or an affiliate of a gang," Chamberlain explained. "Many of these individuals we're talking about come from a country which does not have a strong relationship with the United States, come from a country that does not have a database that they are going to share."

Despite some local leaders' denial of the gang's influence, Jurinsky insisted that TDA gangbangers had taken over some apartment complexes in the Aurora area.

"In the entire Denver metro area, it has been like pulling teeth to get anyone, the media, other elected officials, to get anyone to acknowledge the presence of this trend and to acknowledge that there is even a problem," she told Fox News Digital shortly after the video went viral.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) outright rejected allegations that TDA gang members had gained a foothold in areas of the state despite the Aurora Police Department forming a special task force to address the gang's presence.

He accused Jurinsky of making claims about TDA created largely out of her own "imagination."

Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for Polis, told the New York Post, "The governor has already let the mayor know that the state is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed."

"But according to police intelligence, this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination," Wieman said.

While Polis essentially rejected the claims, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman (R) acknowledged that "there are several buildings" that have "fallen to these Venezuelan gangs."

As the weeks passed, the truth about the Edge at Lowry complex and others in the surrounding area started to surface.

A month after the viral surveillance video was released, law enforcement sources revealed to the New York Post that one of the three men arrested in connection with the incident admitted to being a TDA gang member.

Niefred Serpa-Acosta, 20, allegedly told ICE officers that he was affiliated with the gang. He also reportedly has crown tattoos, a symbol frequently associated with TDA.

‘Sanctuary policy does not protect lawful immigrants or United States citizens it only protects criminals.’

All three of the arrested suspects have collected lengthy rap sheets during their time in Colorado, sources told the Post. According to KCNC-TV, approximately 10 minutes after the surveillance footage was captured, the men were allegedly involved in a deadly shooting.

Amid mounting allegations of TDA apartment takeovers, the Aurora Police Department released the mugshots and identities of 10 TDA gang members in mid-September.

Per the department's announcement, roughly five miles away from the Edge at Lowry, several TDA gang members were arrested for incidents that occurred at Whispering Pines Condominium. The alleged crimes included assault, domestic dispute with a weapon, and felony menacing.

The same police bulletin noted that two TDA gang members were detained for alleged crimes at Fitzsimons Place, an apartment complex less than two miles from Edge at Lowry. The suspects were arrested for assault and a nonfatal shooting.

That same week, Mayor Coffman and Council member Jurinsky issued a joint statement "to clear the record about the widely reported presence of Tren de Aragua (TdA) in Aurora and across the metro area."

They explained that "overstated claims" suggested that TDA had taken over the city.

"TdA's presence in Aurora is limited to specific properties," they clarified. "We can also now confirm that criminal activity, including TdA issues, had significantly affected" specific properties in the city.

John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE Denver Field Office director and current Republican congressional candidate for Colorado's 6th District, told Blaze News, "Initially, the gang has been confined to specific areas of the city, but if it is ignored it will spread out further throughout the city and state. Aurora must work with Federal authorities as a force multiplier to gather the information and resources necessary to eradicate this growing threat."

Non-sanctuary jurisdictions push back

Earlier this year, Douglas and El Paso Counties filed a lawsuit against the state and Gov. Polis over their sanctuary policies, specifically Colorado House Bill 19-1124 and 23-1100. The complaint claimed that the bills are "illegal and unconstitutional" because they undermine federal immigration laws and regulations. Furthermore, the counties argued that the unlawful legislation has "create[d] dangerous conditions" for Colorado residents and immigrants.

HB 19-1124 claims to "protect" residents from "federal government overreach" by prohibiting law enforcement from arresting or detaining an individual based on ICE's detainer request. Local law enforcement officers are also barred from providing information about individuals to the federal government. HB 23-1100 banned state and any local government officials from "entering into an agreement for the detention of individuals in an immigration detention facility that is owned, managed, or operated by a private entity."

Fabbricatore told Blaze News that the sanctuary laws have "released criminals onto the streets," many of whom "have reoffended and even committed murder" afterward.

He pointed to one case where an illegal alien, 37-year-old Jose Guadalupe Menjivar-Alas, was arrested for the killing of a Colorado mother and her son. In another case, 19-year-old Ever Valles was accused of robbing and murdering a man after Denver ignored ICE's detainer request.

"Sanctuary needs to stop immediately for the safety of our communities. In my opinion Sanctuary policy does not protect lawful immigrants or United States citizens it only protects criminals," Fabbricatore declared.

He referenced a House Judiciary Committee report, which noted that the recidivism rate was 29% for 10,000 immigrants with ICE detainer requests that were not honored between January and September 2014.

The counties' lawsuit against Colorado and Polis read, "The nation is facing an immigration crisis. The nation, the state, and local governments need to cooperate and share resources to address this crisis. Colorado House Bills 19-1124 and 23-1100 prohibit the necessary cooperation and create dangerous conditions for the State and migrants."

Douglas County commissioners previously stated that other counties may be interested in joining the lawsuit against Colorado.

‘The surrounding communities in the metro area never asked to be part of any asylum seeker programs.’

Shortly after filing the initial lawsuit, District 2 Commissioner George Teal told the "Jeff and Bill Show" that there was a "laundry list of counties and municipalities across the state who are just aching to join us on this," noting that the sanctuary legislation has impacted other police operations around the state.

In May, Douglas County filed an amended lawsuit against Colorado after Elbert, Garfield, Mesa, and Rio Blanco Counties also joined the complaint — representing 25% of the state's population.

Castle Rock, a town within Douglas County approximately 30 miles south of Denver, has also dealt with the consequences of Denver's sanctuary policies that have drawn in large numbers of immigrants.

Castle Rock City Council Member Max Brooks recently put forth a motion to instruct the town's attorney to consider a similar lawsuit against Denver. The motion passed 7-0 in September.

"The Town of Castle Rock, through Town Council, issued a declaration of support for the lawsuit filed by Douglas County against the state regarding the prohibition of local law enforcement speaking/coordinating directly with ICE," Brooks told Blaze News. "Because Castle Rock has no municipally funded/run detention facilities we are unable to prove standing so we may actually join their lawsuit."

"The declaration was the best we could do as a Council to voice very strong support of the County's lawsuit," Brooks continued. "We remain very strong supporters of our local and county law enforcement and encourage them to perform their duties to every extent they can in order to catch criminals and put them in jail. I am personally deeply opposed to any effort whatsoever to hamper our law enforcement from performing their public safety duties to protect our residents of Castle Rock and Douglas County."

When asked whether he had seen evidence of TDA's infiltration beyond Denver and Aurora into the Castle Rock area, Brooks told Blaze News that the state's sanctuary legislation makes identifying someone's immigration status and country of origin "much more difficult."

"While we have not directly seen evidence of TdA here in Castle Rock, I believe it is irresponsible for any local government to 'hope for the best' when we already have irrefutable facts showing nearly 45,000 illegal migrants have been brought to Denver, that the vast majority of those migrants are Venezuelan, that there is virtually ZERO vetting of migrants at the border, and that there is a TdA element active in Aurora," Brooks explained.

He noted that at one point, city leaders in Aurora also had "zero evidence of TdA activity but now find their city in a vastly different situation."

Brooks stated that organized retail theft rings have been more frequently targeting stores in Castle Rock, creating "a very large issue for big box retailers."

Additionally, Brooks pointed to a motor vehicle theft ring that the Douglas County Sheriff's Office recently busted. In late August, the department announced that, following multiple investigations, it arrested 11 individuals with suspected ties to the thefts. Among those arrested were three Venezuelan nationals and a Columbian national.

"The surrounding communities in the metro area never asked to be part of any asylum seeker programs, and Denver's own decisions are negatively impacting neighboring communities," Brooks told Blaze News.

He called for the funding of such programs to end.

"Washington has failed us, but so has Colorado and Denver following suit with dedicating $90 million in funding for asylum programs," he continued. "Illegal migrants continue to flow into Denver, despite the decrease and their desperate PR attempts to show executive order efficacy at the border."

“The number one concern I hear from constituents is public safety, tied directly to illegal migration. The Biden/Harris administration began this travesty, but the state of Colorado and city of Denver brought it right to the doorsteps of communities in the front range."

12-year-old girl's suspected murderers may be linked to bloodthirsty Tren de Aragua gang, warrant reveals



The two Venezuelan men accused of the brutal murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston are being investigated for possible links to the transnational criminal organization Tren da Aragua, according to search warrants obtained by KPRC-TV.

In June, 22-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos — both of whom were unlawfully in the United States — allegedly lured Nungaray under a bridge after she stopped at a convenience store. The males, who were charged with capital murder for her death, allegedly stripped her, bound her wrists and ankles, and sexually assaulted her for hours. The child was strangled to death, and her body was tossed in a bayou.

'It makes it seem more real that these people are monsters.'

Search warrants KPRC obtained revealed that Houston police and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the males for possible ties to TDA.

Authorities reportedly discovered that one of the males displayed emojis on his TikTok account bio frequently tied to TDA gang members. The emojis included a ninja, crossed swords, and a building.

According to KPRC, the search warrant read, “TdA will use certain slang and emojis in their communications with one another to identify themselves.”

Authorities also noted that the account included a Spanish message that they described as implying “TdA gang membership” and being “a call to members inside and outside the country.”

Investigators stated that additional indicators — including specific clothing, shoes, and hand signals — also were found on the account and also suggested TDA ties.

On a social media account believed to belong to Peña, law enforcement discovered a video of him with two star tattoos on his shoulders and a rose tattoo on his hands, both of which also are symbols frequently associated with the gang

Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, told KPRC, “It makes it seem more real that these people are monsters, and that these are evil people who do heinous things, don’t have a heart, who have no compassion for anybody.”

“We really have no business burying our kids, they’re supposed to bury us,” she continued. “This proves that these are very horrible people and … it wasn’t an accident that just went too far.”

“I needed to turn my pain into power and just make a difference,” she added. “I will use my last breath fighting for her.”

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Suspect admits Tren de Aragua ties after viral video shows him with armed group at Aurora apartment: Report



A man recently admitted to law enforcement that he is a member of the gang Tren de Aragua after he was reportedly caught on surveillance footage storming through a Colorado apartment complex with several other armed individuals, according to a New York Post report.

In August, a viral video showed a group of five men, four of whom were carrying firearms, banging on the door to a residence at the Edge at Lowry, an apartment complex in Aurora, Blaze News previously reported.

Former residents and locals have sounded the alarm about TDA gang members taking over the property after Venezuelan nationals started moving in. TDA members have also reportedly expanded their presence to other apartments in the Aurora area.

Three men were arrested in connection with the August video. One of those individuals has reportedly confessed to being a TDA gang member, law enforcement sources told the Post.

Three other men who were captured in the video have not yet been identified.

During an interview with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, 20-year-old Niefred Serpa-Acosta allegedly admitted to being in TDA. Sources also told the Post that Serpa-Acosta has crown tattoos, a symbol frequently associated with the gang.

Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain has claimed that the department's investigation into the incident has not found any gang ties.

"There's a lot of limitations, a lot of rules, a lot of regulations that relate to identifying someone as a specific gang member or an affiliate of a gang," Chamberlain said. "Many of these individuals we're talking about come from a country which does not have a strong relationship with the United States, come from a country that does not have a database that they are going to share."

All three of the suspects have lengthy rap sheets in the state, according to sources.

KCNC-TV previously reported that the men were also involved in a deadly shooting approximately 10 minutes after the surveillance footage was captured.

There is currently no confirmed evidence that the two other arrested suspects — 25-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco and 21-year-old Naudi Lopez Fernandez — are affiliated with the gang.

Sources told the Post that Zambrano-Pacheco and Lopez Fernandez crossed illegally into the U.S. and were quickly released by border authorities. Since they have been in the country, they have been arrested multiple times.

Acosta was reportedly arrested at least three times for theft, and, on one of those occasions, he was also charged with resisting arrest and obstructing an officer, according to the Post's sources. He is currently in ICE custody.

The Aurora Police Department and ICE did not respond to a request for comment from the Post.

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