Denver Mayor Mike Coffman on Thursday confirmed reports that Venezuelan gangs have been taking over apartment complexes in Aurora. In a discussion with Fox News anchor Sandra Smith, Coffman detailed the situation, saying, “There are several buildings that are actually under the same ownership, out of state ownership, that have fallen to these Venezuelan gangs.” He further explained the complexity of the issue: “I’m trying to walk it back and do the investigation as to how there’s a concentration of Venezuelans in these three buildings. Somebody put them there and somebody funded it. Whether it’s federal government or not, we’re trying to find out who.”

Coffman revealed that the gangs seem to target areas with a high concentration of Venezuelan migrants. According to Coffman, the gangs have used intimidation to push out property management and have been collecting rents illegally. He mentioned ongoing collaborative efforts with local, state, and federal law enforcement to address the issue, noting that arrests have been made but the operations are still active.

When pressed by Smith about the nature of the arrests, Coffman confirmed that while the criminal activities are organized, it remains unclear if they are directly linked to the Tren de Aragua gang. “This is an organized criminal effort. Whether it’s Tren de Aragua, that remains to be seen, but it really doesn’t matter,” Coffman stated.

Smith questioned Coffman further about whether federal officials were involved in placing the gangs in Aurora. Coffman expressed concerns about federal border policies, explaining, “I think we’re a victim of a failed policy at the southern border because, according to my law enforcement, Venezuela does not cooperate with the United States in sharing criminal histories.” He criticized the federal handling of migrant admissions, stating that many migrants who crossed the border illegally were not properly vetted before being released into the U.S.

Coffman suggested that federal agencies might have worked with local nonprofits to place migrants in Aurora, though he clarified that most migrants are law-abiding citizens. “There’s a criminal element that, from what I understand, often follows them and intends to exploit them within their own migrant community,” he said. Despite the issue being confined to a few apartment complexes, Coffman emphasized his commitment to maintaining the safety of Aurora. “I’m not going to surrender any part of this city to a criminal element.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)