Bloodthirsty Venezuelan street gang sparks fear in US amid migrant surge: What to know
Tren de Aragua, a violent street gang that has emerged from Venezuela, has been tied to a number of crimes across the country and is picking up national attention as a result, amid reports that it has taken over apartment buildings in Colorado.
The gang is believed to have originated in Venezuelan prisons and moved north over the last decade. But its reputation within the U.S. has grown this year, in part due to a number of high-profile crimes linked to the gang, with many believed to have arrived by coming across the southern border as part of the sharp increase in migration in recent years.
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bulletin in March alerted agents to tattoos and other identifiers of the gang. Federal authorities had previously warned that the gang was trying to establish itself in the U.S, and could potentially team up with the violent MS-13 gang.
AFTER VIDEO OF ARMED VENEZUELAN GANG SHARED BY LOCAL OFFICIAL GOES VIRAL, COLORADO CITY TAKES ACTION
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital in an interview this year that the gang "has unleashed violence across Central and South America."
"Now, we’re seeing more people coming across the border illegally with ties to Tren de Aragua. Until we get the border crisis under control, more and more bad actors will take advantage of the loopholes in our immigration system," he said.
In February, New York officials linked the gang to more than 62 robberies in the city, and two suspected members of the gang were arrested in connection with a shocking assault of two NYPD officers.
The brother of the suspect in the killing of Georgia student Laken Riley has ties to the gang, and in Texas 10 migrants affiliated with the gang were arrested earlier in May.
"Keep your eye on this gang," Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens said at that time. "Their criminal activities represent a serious threat to our communities!"
FBI FEARS VENEZUELA MIGRANT GANG MEMBERS COULD POTENTIALLY TEAM UP WITH MS-13 KILLERS
The gang has established a significant presence in parts of Colorado. Fox News Digital reported in July that TdA members have been given a "green light" to fire on or attack law enforcement in Denver.
More recently, reports have emerged of the gang taking over at least two apartment buildings in Aurora, with surveillance video showing heavily armed men kicking down an apartment door. The Aurora mayor said on Fox News that there are "several buildings actually under the same ownership, out of state ownership, that have fallen to these Venezuelan gangs."
The city, however, has said there is only a "small" presence in Aurora, and that media "have conflated and considerably exaggerated incidents that are isolated to a handful of problem properties alone."
A spokesman for Aurora Police recently told The Denver Post that "it’s still too soon to quantify TdA’s presence in Aurora one way or another." In a statement, the city said the police "continue to identify criminals and make arrests" and also noted that residents have cited poor living conditions rather than a takeover in those properties.
Meanwhile, ICE confirmed to Fox News last week that four known or suspected gang members arrested by police in Aurora this week connected to a shooting in July are illegal immigrants who were caught and released at the border.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS
The Biden administration announced significant action against the gang in July when the Treasury designated Tren de Aragua a "significant transnational criminal organization." That move blocks all property and assets owned by the gang in the U.S.
Meanwhile, the State Department offered up to $12 million for information leading to the arrest of three of the gang’s leaders. The administration also stressed that it is working to disrupt the gang and has increased vetting.
Senior border officials told Fox News this week that the gang is a priority. But pressure is likely only to grow as former President Donald Trump highlighted the issue at a Fox News town hall this week.
"Take a look at Aurora, in Colorado, where Venezuelans are taking over the whole town. They're taking over buildings. The whole town," he said.