ICE Raids in Aurora Target Alleged Venezuelan Gang Members

Date:

U.S. immigration authorities launched a large-scale operation Wednesday in Aurora, Colorado, targeting alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The raids, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), involved multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Marshals Service. 

The ICE Denver field office said on social media that the agencies aimed to locate and detain more than 100 suspected gang members. However, officials had not confirmed the number of arrests by midday. 

The operation comes weeks after President Donald Trump held a rally in Aurora, where he outlined his immigration policies and announced plans for a nationwide crackdown on gangs, dubbed “Operation Aurora.” 

Since taking office last month, Trump has issued a series of executive orders tightening immigration enforcement. Federal officials have since highlighted targeted operations across the country as part of what Trump has vowed will be mass deportations. 

ICE Acting Director Caleb Vitello, speaking from one of the raid sites, said in a video posted on social media that the agency would continue its efforts against suspected criminals. 

“As long as there are bad guys in the streets, we’re going to be out here arresting them,” Vitello said. 

Aurora, a Denver suburb with a significant migrant population, has been at the center of discussions about gang activity. Some residents claim that Tren de Aragua has infiltrated the city, while local officials have dismissed those assertions as misleading and inflammatory. 

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement that city officials were not involved in the raids and had not been given prior notice. 

“Denver Police and city authorities were not involved in these actions,” Johnston said. 

The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, an advocacy group, criticized the operation, alleging that officers conducted raids at apartment complexes and did not show warrants to residents. 

“Families are being prevented from leaving their homes—even to take their children to school,” the group said on social media. “This action, taking place in Aurora, a focal point of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, is a direct attempt to criminalize immigrant communities.” 

Federal authorities have not responded to the allegations, and ICE has not confirmed how long the operation will continue.

reuters

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