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Immigration

Venezuelan Gang Infiltrates Migrant Shelters to Build Criminal Empire in NYC

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In just over a year, Tren de Aragua (TDA), a violent South American gang originating from Venezuela, has infiltrated New York City, taking advantage of the migrant crisis to establish a foothold within city shelters and neighborhoods. The gang’s swift rise has brought a surge of violent crime, including gun trafficking, robbery, and prostitution, leaving average New Yorkers and even the city’s elite police force overwhelmed.

The New York Post published an in depth look at how the dangerous gang is operating from the shadows of migrant shelters and tent cities; TDA is hiding in plain sight. Armed with guns and mopeds, the gang has terrorized Gotham, running prostitution rings and selling illegal weapons under the noses of shelter security. They are also notorious for peddling a lethal drug mix known as Tussi or “pink cocaine,” adding to the city’s growing fentanyl problem.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny acknowledged the gang’s ability to “hide in plain sight” within the migrant community. “Not every migrant is here to commit crimes, not every migrant is a gang member,” Kenny stated, “but these TDA guys hide very well.” He described how gang members have gone as far as wearing Uber Eats uniforms and using delivery bags while committing their crimes. Despite arrests, the gang members remain tight-lipped about TDA’s operations.

The gang’s name, which translates to “Train from Aragua” after a Venezuelan state, is becoming infamous across the city. Jackson Heights, particularly the stretch of Roosevelt Avenue, has become a hub for TDA’s illegal activities, including an open-air black market and a flourishing prostitution ring. Recent police raids have linked a 24-hour brothel to the gang’s operations, adds The Post.

TDA’s rise in New York has coincided with a spike in violent crimes, many committed by migrants. Law enforcement reports indicate that nearly two dozen armed heists have been carried out by teenagers, typically between 15 and 19 years old. These groups of young gang members target both retail stores and unsuspecting New Yorkers.

The NYPD recently shut down a robbery crew linked to TDA, arresting or identifying nearly two dozen migrant teens responsible for 21 separate robberies. One victim described being assaulted by up to 10 attackers: “They wanted everything… They started and punched me to the face,” he said, recounting how he tried to fight back but was overwhelmed.

TDA gang members have shown little regard for law enforcement, even targeting police officers. In June, 19-year-old gang member Bernardo Castro Mata was arrested in Queens for shooting two NYPD officers during a robbery attempt. Earlier this year, 15-year-old Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figueroa was arrested for allegedly firing at a tourist and police officer in Times Square. Other migrants with alleged ties to TDA have also attacked NYPD officers.

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Immigration

Harris Supported a ‘Overhaul’ of U.S. Immigration and Customs, Supported ‘Moratorium’ on Detention Centers

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On the 2024 campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris is faced with her past remarks, particularly those articulated during her 2019 presidential run. Harris’s progressive stances on immigration from the 2019 primary season are drawing renewed scrutiny.

A look at her 2019 responses to a questionnaire from the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund, uncovered by National Review, shows the extent to which Harris staked out left-of-center views on immigration. In her response, Harris supported a significant “overhaul” of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and called for a “moratorium on the construction and expansion of immigration detention centers.” Criticizing former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, she described ICE’s actions as “cruel and out of control,” pledging to review and reform the agency if elected president. Harris also highlighted her introduction of the DONE Act, which proposed added oversight for ICE and a moratorium on detention center expansion.

Harris’s office did not respond to requests for comment about the resurfaced questionnaire, which featured responses from other primary candidates, including Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Julián Castro, and Pete Buttigieg. Despite these progressive stances, Harris struggled to gain traction with the Democratic left, which ultimately endorsed Sanders after she exited the race, explains National Review.

Since joining the 2024 Democratic ticket, Harris has adopted a tougher tone on crime, often referencing her prosecutorial background in addressing concerns about transnational gang violence. She frequently cites her experience handling crime as a prosecutor to appeal to moderates. On the debate stage, she has emphasized her opponent’s—former President Donald Trump’s—role in derailing a bipartisan border-security agreement, pivoting criticism of her own policies toward the GOP’s reluctance to pass comprehensive reforms.

However, Harris’s past rhetoric on immigration continues to pose a challenge. In another questionnaire from 2019 for the American Civil Liberties Union, Harris voiced support for ending ICE detainers, reducing immigration detention by half, and providing taxpayer-funded gender-transition surgeries for detained illegal immigrants. This record, resurfaced by Republican spending groups, has fueled negative ad campaigns that often quote Harris’s prior statements to question her commitment to immigration enforcement. In one such ad, Harris is shown describing illegal immigrants as “not criminals” and suggesting a “start from scratch” approach on ICE.

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