Recent social media posts have sparked concerns for many surrounding the presence of a criminal organization from Venezuela known as Tren de Aragua in the United States. But what exactly has happened and what do we know so far?
The gang has been confirmed in multiple states across the U.S., including Illinois, but a situation in Aurora, Colorado, brought the issue front and center.
Telemundo Chicago and NBC Chicago have been reporting on the gang’s presence in the U.S. for months.
Here’s what we know so far:
What is Tren de Aragua?
Tren de Aragua is the largest criminal organization in Venezuela with more than 5,000 members.
This transnational criminal organization has managed to spread its terror very quickly throughout South America.
Is Tren de Aragua in Chicago or Illinois?
Members of the violent gang have made their way to the United States and are believed to be linked to criminal cases in five states, including Illinois and Indiana, local law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Authorities confirmed to NBC News they’re investigating more than 100 criminal cases connected to suspected members of Tren de Aragua, and NBC Chicago confirmed at least two members have been arrested in Cook County for narcotics and weapons related charges.
In January, intelligence divisions of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed through internal emails obtained by Telemundo Chicago that members of the gang are in Chicago.
A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations told NBC Chicago in a statement: “HSI Chicago is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat emerging threats and trends wherever we encounter them, including those involving transnational criminal organizations (TCOs).”
The statement continued: “HSI Chicago is aware of recent violent crime arrests involving individuals allegedly associated with the Tren de Aragua gang and continues to monitor emerging trends and assist partner law enforcement agencies. Any person with information related to TCO activity can submit an anonymous report by calling the HSI tip-line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.”
While recent viral social media posts citing 911 calls about large groups of armed migrants taking over a residential building and filling its courtyard with motorcycles was unfounded, according to Chicago police.
“There was a call of service. It was coded out and no report was generated,” the department told NBC Chicago. “We do not confirm any individual’s status.”
What happened in Colorado?
The viral 911 call in Chicago resembled a situation in Colorado, in which video showing people carrying guns at an Aurora apartment complex was widely shared and led to what authorities say is the spread of misinformation.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston told NBC affiliate station 9NEWS in an interview Thursday that the situation was exaggerated.
Coffman told the station that while some residents of apartment buildings in the city are being intimidated by a Venezuelan gang, Aurora Police were handling the situation and making arrests, with police calling the gang activity “isolated.”
While Tren de Aragua’s presence in both cities has been confirmed, Coffman and Johnston said inaccurate reports of the scope of the problem have led to unexpected complications.
“It’s overwhelming our 911 system, or our emergency call center, and so it’s actually hurting our ability to respond to crime,” Coffman told the station. “I would hope people would not do that. I think we’re in some sort of environment of hysteria right now over this. It’s a real issue. It’s being dealt with. It’s isolated.”
Still, on Aug. 30, Coffman reported on Facebook that the Aurora City’s Attorney’s office was preparing documents requesting an emergency court order “to clear the apartment buildings where Venezuelan gang activity has been occurring.”
That same day, a video from the Aurora Police Department showed officers patrolling The Edge at Lowry Apartments. Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris said in the video that after speaking with residents, officers, who have been out in the area “for weeks,” discovered “there’s definitely a different picture.”
“I’m not saying that there’s not gang members that don’t live in this community, but what we’re learning out here is that gang members have not taken over this complex,” Morris said, noting that people paying their rent to gang members is “not happening.”
The city of Aurora also published a lengthy message on X hours later, saying, “there has been a lot of misleading information shared about what is happening in our city”
“Aurora is a safe community. Media have conflated and considerably exaggerated incidents that are isolated to a handful of problem properties alone. Yes, we are concerned that there is a small Tren de Aragua (TdA) presence in Aurora and we have been taking it seriously,” the post read. “We have responded. We have made arrests. We will continue to make arrests. We will continue to address the problems that the absentee, out-of-state owners of these properties have allowed to fester unchecked. Aurora will aggressively pursue all actions available under city code and criminal statute.”
Johnston added that Tren de Aragua’s presence in Denver is smaller than “many other organized criminal networks that might have been here for decades,” though he said he’s “monitoring closely.”
On Aug. 30, Gov. Jared Polis said Colorado “is a zero tolerance state for illegal activity,” adding that “taking over buildings has no place in Colorado, and I am confident that the city of Aurora shares this basic value and will enforce the law if it is being violated there.”