The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a memo warning that members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been given the “green light” to attack and shoot police officers in Denver, Colorado, and other major cities. This alarming directive comes as the gang has infiltrated the U.S. by posing as asylum seekers.
Tren de Aragua, described by CNN as a “multistate human trafficking ring,” has been involved in numerous violent crimes, including the June shooting deaths of two NYPD officers. The gang forces vulnerable immigrant women and minors into prostitution and engages in other illegal activities such as theft, human trafficking, gun smuggling, and money laundering.
According to the DHS memo, “Credible human sources from Colorado provided information on TdA giving a ‘green light’ to fire on or attack law enforcement.” This intelligence was gathered from the Albuquerque Police Department, highlighting the gang’s presence in multiple U.S. cities.
Denver has become a hotspot for the gang, with 42,000 illegal foreign nationals, many from Venezuela, residing in the city. The gang’s name, “The Aragua Train,” refers to the Aragua province in Venezuela.
Tren de Aragua members have also moved to cities like New York, Chicago, and Miami. Despite efforts by the U.S. Border Patrol, at least 70 members have been apprehended for violent crimes. However, many gang members evade detection by avoiding gang tattoos and other identifiers.
An insider with the U.S. Border Patrol expressed frustration, saying, “We have zero access to other nations’ criminal databases, and with this administration’s uselessness in deterring these criminals, they will keep entering undetected.”
This development underscores the urgent need for enhanced border security and international cooperation to prevent violent gangs from exploiting asylum processes and threatening public safety.