Four Venezuelans Arrested in Colorado Confirmed as Illegal Aliens, Part of Tren de Aragua Gang

Four Venezuelan nationals arrested in Aurora, Colorado, in connection with a shooting incident have been confirmed as illegal aliens and members of the dangerous transnational gang, Tren de Aragua, Fox News reports.

The four individuals, Jhonnarty Dejesus Pacheco-Chirinos, Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirinos, Nixon Jose Azuaje Perez, and Dixon Jose Azuaje Perez, were apprehended following a shooting near Nome Street Apartments in July.

According to Aurora Police, Jhonnarty Dejesus Pacheco-Chirinos is a documented member of Tren de Aragua and his brother, Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirinos, also known as “Cookie” or “Galleta,” is also a suspected member. Dixon and Nixon Azuaje-Perez were arrested for tampering with evidence in the shooting and are suspected gang members.

All four men crossed the US southern border illegally in 2022 and 2023 under the Biden administration.

Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirinos was apprehended by Border Patrol Agents in the Del Rio Sector, Texas, in October 2022 and released with a notice to appear. He now faces felony charges for assault with a deadly weapon. His brother, Jhonnarty Dejesus Pacheco-Chirinos, was also apprehended in the Del Rio Sector in October 2022 and is facing attempted murder charges.

Nixon and Dixon Azuaje-Perez were apprehended by Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass, Texas, in August 2023, and were placed under parole pending legal proceedings.

The arrests have sparked renewed concerns about the Biden administration’s border security policies,

“Thanks to the failure of the Biden administration to secure the border, the people of Aurora and other Americans have suffered at the hands of the Tren de Aragua gang,” Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky said.

The House Committee on Homeland Security reports that there have been over 7.8 million encounters with illegal aliens at the southwest border during the Biden administration. ICE determines individual cases on a case-by-case basis.

Tren de Aragua, a transnational gang with some 5,000 members operating in Venezuela and the United States, is known for its involvement in drug and human trafficking. The gang has been linked to an increase in violent crime in parts of the United States, including Colorado, where they have been accused of establishing a presence and engaging in criminal activities.