Venezuelan Gang Suspected of Infiltrating Migrant Camp Near Seattle
Tren de Aragua (TDA), a notorious Venezuelan street gang involved in human smuggling and drug trafficking, may have infiltrated a migrant camp outside Seattle.
The gang, believed to be conducting criminal activities in major US cities like Miami and New York, is now suspected of operating within the migrant camp at Riverton United Methodist Church in Tukwila, Washington. Officials have expressed concerns about TDA members potentially infiltrating the migrant camp, posing significant risks to the safety of both residents and emergency responders.
An internal email from Puget Sound Fire officials in April obtained by Frontlines revealed that first responders were warned about the increased threat at the church camp, advising that firefighters should only enter the grounds with a police escort of at least three units. Emergency crews were also instructed to wear ballistic vests due to the heightened risk.
Pastor Jan Bolerjack of Riverton Park United Methodist Church acknowledged the safety concerns but declined to provide specific details. Neighbors of the church have expressed frustration over the lack of communication, with one resident stating she was “notified of nothing.”
The church has become a frequent site for 911 calls, many of which relate to physical altercations such as fights and stabbings. While it is unclear if these incidents are directly linked to TDA, they have significantly strained local emergency resources.
Tukwila city spokesperson Brad Harwood addressed the situation, claiming that the city has not received any confirmed reports of TDA presence at the church.
“Notifying neighbors based on rumors or speculation is inappropriate and irresponsible,” Harwood said in a statement to Frontlines. “The police escorts are available primarily due to the large number of individuals at the encampment.”
However, Maurece Graham-Bey, an outreach worker with Save The Kids who has assisted in relocating migrants to nearby hotels in the area, agreed that the violence occurring at the camp is “certainly” gang related.
Graham-Bey also expressed the belief that young men at the camp are being actively recruited to join the gang.
“What do you do when you’ve got zero opportunities for work, you’ve got zero opportunities to advance yourself,” Graham-Bey explained. “What’s happened is you concentrated a bunch of people together and you’ve allowed them to begin to drift into the fringes of society.”
