We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

It seems as if the Denver, Colorado suburb of Aurora has finally worked its convulsive way through all the stages of grief about the uninvited guests the city council, to their credit, did make an effort to keep out of town.

Advertisement

Illegals imported by the Biden administration foisted on unhappy blue suburbs by the virtue-signaling sanctuary policies of the larger cities to which they are tethered. Cities defiantly flying the welcome flag became targets for the export of illegal immigrant border state overflows.

Texas governor Greg Abbott determinedly ensured that mayors and governors talking the sanctuary talk were forced to walk the walk and share the pain overwhelmed TX border towns were slammed by.

Aurora has an interesting political landscape to deal with, too. The city council is majority Republican, but conversely, darn near every last elected state and federal representative is a Democrat. The area leans blue in voting patterns. Schizophrenic and leads to some friction.

Last February, Aurora (as well as compatriot suburb Colorado Springs) tried to declare itself a ‘non-sanctuary city’ in hopes that Gov Abbott would remove them from the bus-schedule cross-hairs he already had Denver in. The lefty Denver Post immediately ridiculed the city council for being such backward, weak-kneed knuckle-draggers.

You BIG weenies, the Post sneered

Aurora and Colorado Springs bend their knee to Gov. Abbott as they stoke fear among migrants

Seven of Aurora’s 10 City Council members used their time and power on Monday night to reiterate that police in the city will check the immigration status of people and tell ICE what it wants and needs to know for potential deportation cases.

The message is loud and clear: If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in Aurora without legal status, you should be more than a little leery of the police just in case U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has your name on a list.

We already spent time last month decrying silly resolutions that are needlessly divisive and have zero actual impact on public policy. Our local and state elected officials can stop spitting in the wind anytime they get tired of the blowback.

Did Aurora City Council members really think this resolution would magically erect a wall along the city’s border to prevent refugees and asylum seekers from entering from Denver? No, far more likely is that the seven members of the council who approved the message were hopeful it would appease Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott so he wouldn’t target them as a final destination for people who recently crossed the southern border.

Advertisement

The Post says, “The message is loud and clear” to the thousands of immigrants “without legal status” that ICE is watching – as if that’s a bad thing.

DENVER – YOU HAVE A PROBLEM

Tensions simmered all spring until the situation exploded onto the national scene – and became a presidential campaign issue – when video emerged of what were purported to be illegal Venezuelan gangs running amok, terrorizing and evicting residents while controlling an entire apartment complex in Aurora.

It was all thanks to the efforts of frustrated tenants who had finally found a sympathetic ear in conservative councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky. After trying to work with the police chief, Jurinsky went public on Facebook with what she had. Her assertions, particularly of a Tren de Aragua take-over, were immediately dogpiled by local officials, with the governor of CO stepping in it himself to pooh-pooh the councilwoman’s hysteria and anti-immigrant bias.

Advertisement

Especially since Trump had gotten ahold of the story. Awkward having it blasted out like that during a campaign with the ‘Border Czar’ running from ever being the ‘Border Czar’ and immigration vying with inflation for the Number One thing pissing Americans off the worst about the Biden administration.

This wasn’t hysterical stories about eating pets – this was video of a cartel warzone from Caracas dropped into a US zipcode.

The mayor looked like a vacillating tool. At first, ‘yes, there’s gang activity.’ Then, a waffling, “No, I agree with the police chief.“

IT’S NOT A GANG, IT’S A CLUB

Claims about a Venezuelan gang’s activity in Aurora have included conflicting statements from the city’s mayor, Mike Coffman. On Friday, Coffman went back to saying he agrees with police that there hasn’t been an apartment complex “takeover.”

Apartment complexes in Aurora, owned by the same company CBZ Management, are at the center of a national media frenzy.  Conversations locally about a city-wide “takeover” began earlier this summer. 

On July 29, conservative councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky wrote on Facebook about a large gathering at a shopping center parking lot. “Venezuelan flags” were flying among thousands who “took over and completely shut down a part of our city”, she wrote.

Two days later on July 31, Mayor Coffman shared a similar thought on talk radio. 

…One month after receiving the law firm’s 10-page report, Mayor Coffman shared a different opinion. On Friday, he wrote on Facebook he now agrees with APD’s Interim Chief that “a Venezuelan gang is not in control of either of these two apartment complexes.”

Advertisement

Here we are, only a scant two months past the arguments of September. How are the officials elected to protect citizens in Aurora now – post-election – describing the “without legal status” club members who enjoy the amenities offered to them in the pleasant little community?

(David also noticed this yesterday.)

Well, it seems an agreement has been reached.

IT’S NOT A CLUB, IT’S A GANG

…Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said almost everyone involved was Venezuelan and says there was a “high assumption” that they were affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. 

“They were pistol-whipped, they were beaten, they were mistreated. So does that fall in the category of torture for me? Yeah, it does.” 

“This is without question a gang incident. I don’t know which gang they are affiliated with yet… there is a high assumption that they may be affiliated with the TdA [Tren de Aragua] gang.” 

The incident just so happened to take place at the apartment complex that landlords claim was taken over by the Venezuelan gang.

Oh, goodness. They seem nice. At least they stick close to home, as it was the exact same apartment complex where Gov Polis had sneered the gang activity allegation was *checks notes* a “FEATURE of Councilwoman Jurinsky’s IMAGINATION.” 

Advertisement

 …Aurora police responded to a report of an armed home invasion on the 1200 block of Dallas Street around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. About six hours earlier, an unspecified number of suspects, a mix of men and women, had entered an apartment where two people lived, police said. Suspects allegedly bound both residents and stabbed one.

The suspects allegedly moved the two victims to another apartment on the property, where they were held against their will. Meanwhile, the victims’ apartment was burglarized.

Aurora police said the victims were able to convince their captors to let them go and promised not to call the police. After the victims were released, they drove to a friend’s house somewhere in Aurora and called 911.

A man suffered a non-life-threatening injury from a stab wound. Both victims were taken to the hospital. No other injuries have been reported.

According to other reliable reports, “torture” is an apt description.

Remember? Once, it was just a figment of Jurinsky’s ‘imagination’, and now everyone’s talking about the Venezuelan gang problem. Coincidentally, also why Aurora got themselves a new police chief. Weird step to take if you don’t have a problem, no?

Following the detainment of 14 people Tuesday morning, city and state leaders are weighing in on how to tackle ongoing crime and gang problems in pockets of Aurora. 

…Jurinsky has been one of the leading voices in Aurora since safety problems at select apartment buildings started coming to light earlier this year and is the chair of the city council’s Public Safety, Courts and Civil Service Committee. She has been especially vocal about gang activity at The Edge at Lowry apartments. 

“Stop saying that everybody is welcome here. Because no, not everybody is welcome here. Tren de Aragua you are not welcome here,” Jurinsky said. 

Jurinsky said she hopes the arrests put Aurora back in the national spotlight because she believes it will be a catalyst for change. 

“I hope Operation Aurora is talked about again. I hope they come to Aurora first,” she said. 

Operation Aurora is a reference to a campaign promise by President-elect Donald Trump to deport migrant criminals, which he said will begin in Aurora, Colorado. 

Advertisement

Gov Polis had a ‘Yo, go, coppers!’ statement. No apologies for downplaying any of it.

…“Governor Polis congratulates the city of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department for these arrests. The state added staff and resources to the task force in July and convened federal officials over the summer. The state stands ready to assist Aurora PD. Governor Polis is calling for additional public safety investments during the upcoming legislative session to crack down on crime and urges the legislature to approve those requests to make Colorado safer.”

Not sure about The Denver Post…or, for that matter, Martha Raddatz.

MARTHA! DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF?

Acceptance is the last step, and Aurora sounds like they’re there.