Sanctuary city's policies push violent migrant gang into suburbs: 'It's a nationwide problem'
Colorado officials say Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang has been spilling out of Denver and wreaking havoc in Aurora, other suburbs
Christina Coulter By Christina Coulter Fox News
Published August 28, 2024 4:00am EDT
Denver suburb experiencing a ‘complete gang takeover,’ city council member claims Video
Denver suburb experiencing a ‘complete gang takeover,’ city council member claims
Aurora City, Colorado, council member Danielle Jurinsky outlines how Denver’s migrant crisis has spilled into the suburb and unleashed violent criminal activity.
Although Denver's suburbs don't share its sanctuary city policies, the influx of migrants into the Mile High City has spilled outward. Now, its neighbors are facing an unprecedented wave of activity from a notorious Venezuelan prison gang.
Officials from Aurora, about nine miles east of Denver, told Fox News Digital the Tren de Aragua gang has gained a strong foothold in their city, commandeering apartment complexes and drumming up violent crime and sex trafficking.
"We currently have entire complexes under gang control — complexes where staff have been beaten up, they've been threatened, their families have been threatened [and] complexes where there are no staff left on the property," Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky said. "These complexes are being run by this Tren de Aragua gang.
"They start brokering apartments themselves when someone leaves out of fear or whatever. They go in and take pictures of the apartment themselves. Then, I've been told, within hours, a Venezuelan family moves in.
DENVER PUT 'ON NOTICE' BY NEARBY AURORA OVER TRANSPORTING MIGRANTS TO COMMUNITY: 'NOT A SANCTUARY CITY'
Migrants at Denver tent encampment
Migrants carrying their belongings walk through an illegal tent encampment as city officials close it down in Denver, Colo., Jan. 3, 2024. (Trevor Hughes, Trevor Hughes/USA Today Network)
"Parts of the city are absolutely under this gang control. The local media is downplaying this," she said. "I believe politics is being played with people's lives. ... Nothing is being done to help the American citizens that are being trapped under this gang's control."
Jurinsky told Fox News Digital calls for emergency services have been on the rise, especially in light of a strapped police department.
"The number of emails coming in to me for help from residents and business owners, the volume is much higher. The allegations being made [about gang activity] are types of crime that I've not heard of on a regular basis in our city," she said.
Suspected members of Tren de Aragua are accused of a series of high-profile crimes across the United States, including the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley and the shooting of two NYPD officers during an arrest in June.
Its leaders recently gave the "green light" for its members nationwide to shoot members of law enforcement who attempt to interfere with their criminal activity – even in Denver.
www.foxnews.com
Colorado officials say Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang has been spilling out of Denver and wreaking havoc in Aurora, other suburbs
Christina Coulter By Christina Coulter Fox News
Published August 28, 2024 4:00am EDT
Denver suburb experiencing a ‘complete gang takeover,’ city council member claims Video
Denver suburb experiencing a ‘complete gang takeover,’ city council member claims
Aurora City, Colorado, council member Danielle Jurinsky outlines how Denver’s migrant crisis has spilled into the suburb and unleashed violent criminal activity.
Although Denver's suburbs don't share its sanctuary city policies, the influx of migrants into the Mile High City has spilled outward. Now, its neighbors are facing an unprecedented wave of activity from a notorious Venezuelan prison gang.
Officials from Aurora, about nine miles east of Denver, told Fox News Digital the Tren de Aragua gang has gained a strong foothold in their city, commandeering apartment complexes and drumming up violent crime and sex trafficking.
"We currently have entire complexes under gang control — complexes where staff have been beaten up, they've been threatened, their families have been threatened [and] complexes where there are no staff left on the property," Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky said. "These complexes are being run by this Tren de Aragua gang.
"They start brokering apartments themselves when someone leaves out of fear or whatever. They go in and take pictures of the apartment themselves. Then, I've been told, within hours, a Venezuelan family moves in.
DENVER PUT 'ON NOTICE' BY NEARBY AURORA OVER TRANSPORTING MIGRANTS TO COMMUNITY: 'NOT A SANCTUARY CITY'
Migrants at Denver tent encampment
Migrants carrying their belongings walk through an illegal tent encampment as city officials close it down in Denver, Colo., Jan. 3, 2024. (Trevor Hughes, Trevor Hughes/USA Today Network)
"Parts of the city are absolutely under this gang control. The local media is downplaying this," she said. "I believe politics is being played with people's lives. ... Nothing is being done to help the American citizens that are being trapped under this gang's control."
Jurinsky told Fox News Digital calls for emergency services have been on the rise, especially in light of a strapped police department.
"The number of emails coming in to me for help from residents and business owners, the volume is much higher. The allegations being made [about gang activity] are types of crime that I've not heard of on a regular basis in our city," she said.
Suspected members of Tren de Aragua are accused of a series of high-profile crimes across the United States, including the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley and the shooting of two NYPD officers during an arrest in June.
Its leaders recently gave the "green light" for its members nationwide to shoot members of law enforcement who attempt to interfere with their criminal activity – even in Denver.
Sanctuary city's policies push violent migrant gang into suburbs: 'It's a nationwide problem'
The Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang has been spilling out of the sanctuary city Denver and wreaking havoc in its Colorado suburbs, officials say.
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