The Trump campaign has referred to Aurora as a "war zone" due to claims of Venezuelan prison gang members, particularly from the Tren de Aragua, infiltrating the city.
However, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman has strongly refuted these claims, stating that the city remains "considerably safe," just days before former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Aurora. Trump, the current Republican presidential candidate, is set to appear at the Gaylord Rockies Resort on Friday, according to his campaign.
Mayor Coffman invited Trump to visit the community and meet with the police chief to see firsthand that Aurora is not the gang-infested city portrayed by Trump's campaign. The campaign had described the city as being in turmoil due to a surge of violent Venezuelan gang members from Tren de Aragua, a group involved in various criminal enterprises like human smuggling, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
The Trump campaign pointed to the arrival of around 43,000 migrants in neighboring Denver since late 2022, suggesting many have relocated to Aurora, contributing to lawlessness. They claimed that families in Aurora have fled due to the violence and criminal activity linked to the Tren de Aragua, further stating that current immigration policies are causing once-safe communities to become dangerous.
During a recent presidential debate, Trump spoke about the alleged takeover of Aurora’s apartment buildings by gangs, claiming they are wreaking havoc and “destroying our country.”
Coffman, however, clarified that the incidents were limited to a few apartment complexes in a city of over 400,000 people. He mentioned that in August, three apartment buildings were affected by gangs, possibly Venezuelan in origin, and the city had established a task force to address the issue.
Coffman also questioned why so many Venezuelans were concentrated in the affected buildings, speculating that federal government agencies, possibly working with local nonprofits, might have facilitated their placement.
While acknowledging the challenges posed by these gangs, Coffman emphasized that the situation was contained and criticized the federal government’s border policies, highlighting that Venezuela does not share criminal records with the U.S., making it difficult to screen incoming migrants.
In a joint statement with City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky, Coffman reiterated that the Tren de Aragua had not "taken over" Aurora, and that only a few properties were impacted. They also reported that the Aurora Police Department had arrested eight out of ten suspects linked to the gang, including two involved in a July shooting.
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