Is a Venezuelan gang growing in the US? Colorado feels the threat.
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Sarah Matusek Staff writer
| AURORA, COLO.
Suspected Venezuelan gang activity in the Denver metro area is stirring public concern in Colorado and across the United States 鈥� amplifying election-year questions about the impact of unauthorized immigration that reach far beyond the U.S. southern border.
In recent days, local and federal officials here have increasingly gone on record about what they say is presence of the gang, called Tren de Aragua.听Meanwhile, current criminal court cases in Denver involve a man who鈥檚 been, reportedly, linked to the gang by federal sources. And in the neighboring city of Aurora, a resident鈥檚 viral video shows armed individuals in an apartment building before a fatal shooting, which authorities are investigating.
The video footage has heightened allegations of a gang 鈥渢akeover鈥� of certain apartment buildings, which former President Donald Trump has also begun to claim.
Why We Wrote This
A story focused onWhen dealing with gangs, local officials are tasked with maintaining public safety without fearmongering. In Colorado, that ethos is being tested by the reputed presence of a Venezuelan gang.
As local officials offer conflicting narratives about the gang鈥檚 level of activity, police and politicians here are boosting efforts to address security concerns. Immigrant advocates are also denouncing claims of widespread criminal activity鈥�,听as rumors outpace ongoing investigations. Low-income residents, including other immigrants, may be experiencing the harshest consequences听鈥� not just at the hands of criminals, but also in headlines that have cast doubt on whole neighborhoods and nationalities.
It鈥檚 鈥渞eally rare鈥� for a gang to receive this level of recognition from officials, says David Pyrooz, a gang researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder. While agencies typically avoid giving a gang notoriety, he says, it seemed they had an 鈥渙bligation because of the outcry鈥� to offer some confirmation.
Is a Venezuelan gang gaining a foothold in Colorado?听
Cindy Romero wanted to move out of her Aurora apartment for months.
To her relief, Ms. Romero moved out last week, sharing what would become a viral video with . Through her doorbell camera, she caught an armed group of men wielding guns outside her door.听
She had installed a series of door locks with extra-long screws after an escalation of what she calls 鈥渙rganized criminal behavior,鈥� like a shooting she overheard in August. She can also point to where a bullet pierced her car.
Financial concerns and other logistics kept Ms. Romero rooted until Danielle Jurinsky, an at-large City Council member, helped her move out. Ms. Jurinsky believes the gang is behind the apartment building鈥檚 unrest and has called听for more transparency around Tren de Aragua, also known as TdA.
She says several police officers have called her with the message 鈥淵ou need to know about this gang.鈥� Even if a fraction of the Venezuelans who鈥檝e arrived to the area in recent years are involved, Ms. Jurinsky says, 鈥渢hat is a large number.鈥�
Ms. Romero, meanwhile, is heartbroken 鈥� no matter who鈥檚 behind the crimes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 adding insult to injury to be told it鈥檚 part of our imagination,鈥� says Ms. Romero, a U.S. citizen. Police were of no help despite her relentless calls, she adds. 鈥淭he only outreach we got was when we went to the media.鈥�
Ms. Romero says she personally can鈥檛 confirm TdA鈥檚 role in her security concerns, which are under investigation.听Many social media users sharing her video, however, are quick to draw conclusions about the gang鈥檚 involvement.
Immigrant residents rallied Tuesday on Dallas Street, Ms. Romero鈥檚 old street, to push back on claims their community is linked to TdA. They showed press their bedbug-bitten arms and rodent traps, saying they are victims more of landlord negligence than of criminals.听
鈥�Los buenos somos m谩s,鈥� chanted the crowd in Spanish. 鈥淭here are more good people among us.鈥�
In August, the city closed another complex. The owner, who could not be reached for comment, the shuttered building was overrun by a Venezuelan gang. Displaced residents and some city officials counter that the building was instead closed due to long-term disrepair and neglect.听
How is Tren de Aragua entering the U.S.?听
Tren de Aragua, whose name means 鈥淎ragua Train,鈥� emerged from a prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua.听The Biden administration designated the group as a transnational criminal organization in July, and the U.S. State Department is up to $12 million in awards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of TdA leaders.
Last year, the U.S. Border Patrol started reporting apprehensions of unauthorized immigrants it considers affiliated with TdA. Nationwide, there were 41 such TdA apprehensions last fiscal year, with 26 in fiscal year 2024 so far. Individuals linked to separate gangs, such as MS-13 and Paisas, are more frequently apprehended at the border.听
Border Patrol encounters reached historic highs under the Biden administration 鈥� and more Venezuelans have tried to enter the U.S. as instability grips their country. Some conservatives cite TdA reports as evidence of flawed Biden-Harris border security policies.听But the administration听blames Republicans for blocking a bipartisan immigration bill and听points to a dramatic drop in border crossings in recent months after new asylum restrictions.
Over the past year, American media have increasingly cited law enforcement reports of suspected TdA activity, from to . The U.S., however, isn鈥檛 the first country to allege TdA鈥檚 presence beyond Venezuela. Its reach has reportedly , with a criminal portfolio including murder, extortion, sexual exploitation, and drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the last of these in Colorado.
鈥淚n recent months, our agents 鈥� working in collaboration with federal, state, and local partners here in Colorado 鈥� have seized multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl destined for the Denver-Metro area from individuals believed to be members and/or associates of the gang known as Tren de Aragua,鈥� says Jonathan Pullen, special agent in charge of the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division, in an emailed statement.
The DEA declined to answer additional questions about the gang鈥檚 operations and regional scope, citing ongoing investigations. The principal suppliers of illicit fentanyl remain the Mexican Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels, says the agency.听
Getting the situation 鈥渦nder control鈥澨�
Adding to rising regional awareness of potential TdA ties is a federal indictment last month in Colorado.
The four defendants, all Venezuelan nationals, face charges related to an armed robbery of a Denver jewelry store in June. A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirms that all four individuals were encountered by the Border Patrol, along the Texas-Mexico border, on different dates in 2023. All were placed in removal proceedings in immigration court, ICE reports.
One defendant, Jean Franco Torres-Roman, who also faces separate criminal charges in Denver County Court, including for attempted first-degree murder, has reportedly been听听to TdA by a federal agency in Texas. A lawyer for the defendant declined an interview request.听
In a rare joint interview last week, the Democratic mayor of Denver and Republican mayor of Aurora sought to soothe hysteria as their cities swept into national news.
鈥淭he situation is under control,鈥� Mayor Mike Johnston of Denver told . 鈥淭here is going to be no widespread gang activity in the city of Denver.鈥澨�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a serious incident, but it鈥檚 not the entire city,鈥� said Mayor Mike Coffman of Aurora. His local police last month announced a task force focused on 鈥渧iolent crime impacting migrants and other communities.鈥澨�
Investigating the threat 鈥� and protecting victims听
There鈥檚 鈥渧ery little data鈥� 鈥� at least public and confirmed 鈥撎齩n the group in the U.S. so far, says Professor Pyrooz. More research is needed, he says, on questions like, Is the gang formally franchising here, or simply appearing through migration? Are crimes gang-motivated or gang-related, by members acting solo?
Homeland Security Investigations became aware of TdA in Colorado earlier this year, says Jeff Brannigan, who served as the deputy special agent in charge of HSI Denver until this month.听听
Determining a suspect鈥檚 gang affiliation can further investigations. However, 鈥渢he actual criminal offense is our main focus,鈥� says Mr. Brannigan. Still, TdA鈥檚 new federal designation 鈥� as a transnational criminal organization 鈥撎齩pens up dedicated funding for related investigations.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 often the case that criminal enterprises victimize their own,鈥� says Mr. Brannigan. Within migrant communities, unauthorized immigrants especially can be 鈥渕ore easily victimized,鈥� he says, due to fears around approaching police and being deported.听
鈥淚f somebody comes to us and has information about criminal activity, we want to collect the information and we want to protect the victims,鈥� regardless of immigration status, says Mr. Brannigan. There are immigration protections available to victims or witnesses of crimes, he adds, including .
鈥淲e have been hearing that there is possible extortion,鈥� says Tony Cancino, president of the Aurora Police Association. 鈥淭here is a lot of gun violence and robberies.鈥� How suspected TdA affiliates are getting their hands on guns, he says, 鈥渋s the biggest question around.鈥澨�
Did Denver鈥檚 migrant response aid the gang鈥檚 growth?听
Also unclear is whether people suspected to be linked to TdA have benefited from Denver鈥檚 migrant response, including temporary shelter and other services.听
The city鈥檚 migrant resources have cost around $74 million, says Jon Ewing, spokesperson for the Denver newcomer program. He also says the city does not give out names of individuals served due to privacy concerns.听
鈥淚f anyone鈥檚 benefiting, it鈥檚 TdA, because you can鈥檛 buy [media] exposure like this,鈥� says Mr. Ewing. He also worries about migrants here being 鈥渇eared as the other.鈥� The city recently found anti-immigrant and racist installed along a busy street.
Mr. Ewing also rejects claims that Denver鈥檚 spending on migrants has attracted gang violence. Had the city not offered that aid, he adds, 鈥渨e would have thousands of women and children living on our streets.鈥�
In recent days, law enforcement have announced a steady drip of TdA developments, such as that broke Tuesday of arrests of four people in Arapahoe County, which includes Aurora. Meanwhile, the national scrutiny isn鈥檛 lost on local police.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working really hard,鈥� says Mr. Cancino of the union. 鈥淲e鈥檙e tired.鈥�
鈥淯s who are innocent鈥澨�
Coromoto, a Venezuelan asylum-seeker who wanted to use her middle name for fear of reprisals, is also tired. She sits on the edge of a hotel bed in Aurora, a few miles from her home on Nome Street that the city shuttered last month. She says her brother was killed back in Venezuela while protesting the repressive government.听
鈥淭here are a lot of us who want to move forward in life, and because of bad people, it鈥檚 us who are innocent who are going to pay,鈥� says Coromoto. Here, she says, 鈥淚 am ashamed to say that I鈥檓 from Venezuela.鈥澨�
That evening, the Aurora Police Department on social media about a Venezuelan suspect it has connected to an aggravated assault and shooting at her former residence. Aurora police now allege he is a 鈥渄ocumented member鈥� of TdA.
Another woman, whose middle name is Jackelin, enters the room with a baby held close. Her daughter, 1 month old, wears a pattern of pastel hearts.
Jackelin says her husband, a Venezuelan like her, just lost his job due to Tren de Aragua rumors. It鈥檚 unclear where they鈥檒l live next.
For now, Jackelin cradles her daughter on the bed and offers what she can. She lets her baby nurse.
