Today we're diving into a developing and rather alarming situation unfolding in Aurora, Colorado. Now, if you're not familiar with Aurora, it's a suburb located just nine miles east of Denver. Recently, parts of this city have found themselves in the grip of a violent Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua.
The situation has gotten so serious that Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky sounded the alarm, telling Fox News about how this gang is taking control of entire apartment complexes. Yes, you heard that right—gang control over residential complexes, and it's as intense as it sounds.
Now, let’s back up a bit to understand how we got here. Denver, which is right next door to Aurora, has sanctuary city policies in place. This means that the city limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, essentially offering protection to undocumented immigrants.
While this is a well-intentioned policy meant to protect vulnerable populations, it’s also led to an influx of migrants that Denver and its surrounding areas, like Aurora, are struggling to handle. More than 40,000 migrants have arrived in Denver since December 2022 alone!
UPDATE: The city and Aurora Police Department, as previously stated, established a special task force in collaboration with other local, state and federal partners to specifically address concerns about Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and other criminal activity affecting… pic.twitter.com/ytAhIcBxy0
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) August 28, 2024
So, how does this connect to Aurora? Well, the overflow from Denver’s migrant crisis is spilling into its suburbs, including Aurora. And with this spillover, violent crimes and even sex trafficking have followed. The Tren de Aragua gang, which has a brutal reputation, has taken advantage of the chaos.
They’ve not only moved into Aurora but are also reportedly running certain apartment complexes. According to Jurinsky, the gang intimidates and even physically assaults property staff, driving them out, and then takes over the apartments. In some cases, the gang is said to have moved Venezuelan families into these apartments within hours of someone fleeing out of fear.
The situation is dire, and yet, according to Jurinsky, local media is downplaying the severity of the issue. She believes that politics is being played with people's lives, leaving American citizens trapped under the gang's control without adequate help. It’s a bold and troubling statement, but one that underscores just how serious the situation is.
In response, Aurora has tried to push back. The city council has passed a resolution to prevent illegal immigrants from getting bused into Aurora, labeling it a "non-sanctuary city." But this hasn’t fully solved the problem.
Neighboring Douglas County has also taken steps to protect its communities, banning unscheduled bus stops and prohibiting migrant buses from San Antonio from dropping off people in their area. However, a Colorado state law passed in 2019 limits local officials' ability to cooperate directly with ICE, making it harder for law enforcement to address the problem effectively.
This brings us to a broader concern. As the migrant crisis grows, it’s straining resources and leading to budget cuts in critical areas. For example, Denver officials recently slashed police and fire department funding to allocate more money toward supporting the influx of illegal immigrants through the “Newcomer Program Strategy.” That’s $8.4 million less for the police and $2.5 million less for the fire department, all to handle this unprecedented situation.