Venezuelan Gang Overrunning Hotels In Texas City
A Venezuelan migrant gang is reportedly overtaking hotels in El Paso, Texas, near the border, according to a report from the New York Post. The Gateway Hotel is reportedly overrun by the group Tren de Aragua. Authorities have reportedly been called to that hotel 700 times.
Surveillance video shows that the hotel has turned into a hub of fighting and drinking among migrants. In some instances, migrants can be seen wielding hatchets, others were spotted with knives, and one man was seen firing a gun inside.
Migrant children have reportedly witnessed many of these crimes. As a result, local officials are working to shut down the hotel to take back control of the operation. El Paso is a known passing point for members of Tren de Aragua before they head into other major U.S. cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Denver.
A judge granted a temporary order that allowed the hotel owner, Howard Yun, to force all residents of the hotel to leave with three days’ notice. The temporary order also allows the owner to prevent anyone from staying at the property while the gang problem is rectified.
An El Paso Motel 6 is another hub of illegal immigrant activity, according to authorities. Police sources say one specific Motel 6 location is “notoriously used by transnational criminal organizations in the smuggling [and] harboring of illegal aliens and illegal drugs attempting to make it further into the United States.”
The New York Post claims that two Venezuelan migrants believed to be linked to Tren de Aragua were spotted at the El Paso Motel 6 in June. Three days later, those same migrants allegedly took part in a violent jewelry store robbery in Denver.
Tren de Aragua’s gang activity also drew national attention when the gang overtook an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. The city of Denver denied the gang’s presence, while the local Aurora Mayor pleaded with authorities for help.
