Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided apartments in the Denver metro area early Wednesday morning, including a complex that became nationally infamous over the presence of the Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua.
"100+ members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were targeted for arrest and detention in Aurora, Colo., today by ICE and its partners," ICE’s Denver office posted Wednesday on X, listing several federal agencies that assisted with the raids. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain division posted a video earlier in the day showing agents deploying what appears to be a flashing smoke grenade.
100+ members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were targeted for arrest and detention in Aurora, Colo., today by ICE and its partners @FBI @DEAHQ @CBP @ATFHQ & @USMarshalsHQ in an ongoing investigation. pic.twitter.com/6ipWC3iCMJ
— ERO Denver (@ERODenver) February 5, 2025
Law enforcement was seen knocking on doors looking for illegal immigrants, the Denver Post reported. Agents were spotted loading apprehended detainees onto a bus. The targeted apartments include Whispering Pines, Cedar Run, and Edge of Lowry in Aurora, the complex that spurred a national debate over whether it was controlled by Tren de Aragua.
In August, video surfaced showing alleged gang members at the Lowry apartments armed with long guns, knocking on residents’ doors, and entering their homes.
Democrats and the media downplayed Tren de Aragua’s presence. ABC News’s Martha Raddatz in October told then-vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance that the issue was "grossly exaggerated" and that the "incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes."
"Only, Martha, do you hear yourself?" Vance responded. "Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris's open border?"
In December, ICE detained 16 suspected Tren de Aragua members who were illegally in the United States. Local police arrested them after they allegedly stormed a Lowry apartment, kidnapped the residents, and tortured them in another unit in the complex.
A judge in January ordered Lowry to close at the city of Aurora’s request, citing the alleged kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The Denver area has been bracing for ICE raids. President Donald Trump visited Aurora while on the campaign trail and promised to carry out deportations there through what he called "Operation Aurora."
Raids were scheduled last week, but were delayed following leaks to the media.