A large-scale operation targeting members of the Tren de Aragua gang in Denver and its suburb Aurora unfolded, drawing criticism and allegations of information leaks, The Associated Press reports.
The raids, which took place at apartment buildings and other sites, come as President Trump intensifies efforts to link immigration with violent crime.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that over 100 members of the Venezuelan gang were targeted in the operation. However, the exact number of arrests remains unclear, with conflicting reports emerging. Fox News, embedded with the operation, reported 30 arrests, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed more than 100 members of Tren de Aragua were deported from Colorado on Wednesday. The discrepancy raises questions about the actual outcome of the operation and the potential for misinformation.
The deportations are further complicated by Venezuela’s refusal to accept its citizens back, leaving the destination of those deported unclear. The Defense Department also reported that 10 individuals sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were identified as members of Tren de Aragua.
ICE, which promoted the operation on social media shortly after it began, referred questions about the raids to the Department of Homeland Security, which has yet to provide official details or confirm arrest totals.
Dozens of heavily armed officials from various federal agencies, often masked and traveling in armored vehicles, descended on locations across the Denver area, conducting door-to-door searches and causing disruption. The operation has been long anticipated since Trump’s campaign promises to target migrant gangs.
According to reports, officers forcibly entered at least one apartment building, prompting outrage from local activists who confronted and taunted the agents at the scene.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, alleged that leaks to the media hindered the operation and put officers at risk. Homan pointed to prior media reports indicating the raids were imminent. Trump himself referenced the issue during a campaign stop in Aurora last year, promising to target migrant gangs nationally and dubbing the operation “Operation Aurora” after a viral video depicting armed members of Tren de Aragua entering an apartment shortly before a fatal shooting.
The operation also had a direct impact on local residents. Hannah Stickline, a Denver resident, reported that six heavily armed officers knocked on her door at 6 a.m., demanding identification and inquiring about neighbors’ immigration status.
The raids coincide with increased activity by ICE following Trump’s inauguration. While ICE has stopped publishing daily arrest totals, reports indicate a significant rise in daily arrests compared to averages during the Biden administration. Leavitt stated that over 8,000 people in the country illegally have been arrested since Trump’s inauguration, with some subsequently released due to medical conditions or lack of detention space.
A central location in the operation was the largely empty apartment complex featured in the viral video that sparked Trump’s interest. The complex, plagued by issues of crime and public safety, is scheduled to close on February 18 due to a judge’s ruling deeming it a public safety threat.
