The United States is a nation built on the principle of law and order. But today, we face an urgent threat from illegal alien criminal gangs infiltrating our communities and undermining the safety and security we hold dear. The rise of transnational criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua, originally from Venezuela, highlights the chaotic border situation and the urgent need for decisive action.
Reports of human trafficking, drug smuggling, and violence linked to these gangs are becoming all too common. In Colorado, the Tren de Aragua gang has already been implicated in crimes ranging from jewelry store heists to shootings. Disturbingly, over 60 gang members were identified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection between 2023 and this summer. These are only those caught; many more have likely entered unchecked due to the Biden administration’s ineffective border policies.
A task force was set up in Aurora, Colorado, to identify if the gang had criminally taken over apartment complexes within the city. It’s a fact that criminal illegal alien gangs and organizations prey on migrant communities. As the illegal immigrant community grows, there has been a spike in crime by the criminal element that exists within it.
Sanctuary policies protect these criminals and keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement from successfully working with local law enforcement to identify and apprehend these criminal gangs. Some sanctuary politicians hide those arrested who are foreign-born, with some sanctuary city police departments even going so far as to intentionally not identify the place of birth of arrested criminals known to be illegally present in the United States. Yet more arrests occur, and it appears that illegal alien gangs have set up shop in numerous cities nationwide, leaving a path of chaos and crime.
By shielding criminal aliens from enforcement, sanctuary policies create safe havens for those who prey upon migrant and nonmigrant communities alike. In Colorado, Tren de Aragua has been linked to a Denver jewelry store heist, with one of the gang members getting arrested in New Mexico and extradited back to Denver. A shooting in July in which four people were arrested is also believed to be linked to the gang. Just recently in mid-December, another 19 suspected Tren de Aragua gang members or associates were arrested in Colorado for extortion, violent assault, and kidnapping.
The Biden administration’s open-border agenda has been responsible for releasing masses into the United States with insufficient vetting. This negligence not only endangers public safety but also strains local resources as these individuals gravitate toward large cities, often with the intent to commit further crimes.
Yet the crime has not stayed in the larger cities but has spread to smaller towns. The tragic consequences are evident in cases like the one in Broomfield, Colorado, where an illegal alien, previously deported for multiple DUIs, was not turned over to ICE but was released by local law enforcement only to reoffend and take the innocent lives of a mother and son near Broomfield High School.
Americans need urgent reform.
The Tren de Aragua gang is a symptom of a larger failure perpetuated by ineffective border control and lenient sanctuary policies. In Aurora, efforts to track and curtail gang activities are met with increasing boldness from these criminal elements. For example, Tren de Aragua recently released a “green-light” notice to its members, encouraging them to shoot at law enforcement.
It is imperative that we immediately secure our borders and thoroughly enforce immigration laws, including using immigration detention and deportations to protect American communities like Aurora. Sanctuary policies do not safeguard citizens; they protect the criminals who wish to harm them. It’s time to prioritize the safety of American citizens and legal immigrants alike by reversing harmful policies, promoting collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement, and reaffirming our commitment to being a nation governed by laws.
The safety of our communities and our future as a sovereign nation depend on decisive action. And the time for action is now.
