A notorious Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua, has established a presence in Aurora, Colorado, despite the city’s initial reluctance to welcome asylum seekers. The gang’s arrival has been marked by a surge in violent crime, with members seizing apartment complexes and terrorizing residents.
In February, the Aurora City Council passed a resolution stating that it would not provide resources for illegal immigrants brought into the city from neighboring Denver. However, this has not deterred gang members from settling in the area.
One gang leader, Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirino, also known as “Galleta,” has been at the center of the violence. After crossing the southern border in 2022, Pacheco-Chirino was released into the country by federal authorities and eventually made his way to Colorado. He was given a court date and released again, but failed to appear.
Pacheco-Chirino and other gang members have been involved in several violent incidents, including a brutal assault on a man at an apartment complex that left the victim with a traumatic brain injury, a broken nose, and a broken upper jaw. The gang has also taken over several properties, forcing apartment staff to flee and leaving investors feeling like they’ve “lost control” of their buildings.
In July, Pacheco-Chirino was arrested for a shooting that wounded two people, and he was later turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, an immigration judge’s order to deport him was rendered moot when Venezuela refused to accept him.
The Aurora Police Department has since formed a task force with state and local agencies to address the gang’s threats. “APD will not tolerate violent crime in our communities,” the department stated.
The influx of illegal immigration into the region has contributed to an uptick in crime, with Denver councilmembers acknowledging the link between the two. Residents in nearby Lakewood have also urged their city council not to assist Denver with its immigration crisis.
A bulletin from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned law enforcement agencies about the threat posed by Tren de Aragua, which has given its members in the United States a “green light” to shoot American law enforcement officers.
