We recently discussed a calamitous situation unfolding in Aurora, Colorado, where illegal migrants who are members of Venezuela's notorious Tren de Aragua gang have taken over apartment complexes, beating up paying residents and operating a retail theft ring. This is particularly problematic for the residents of Aurora because, unlike their neighbors in Denver, they never declared themselves a "sanctuary" destination and refused to devote resources to migrant care. They've been doing what they can, teaming up with state law enforcement agencies to attempt to maintain order, but there is at least one resident of Colorado who is not taking the situation seriously at all. That would be Democratic Governor Jared Polis. He recently scoffed at the Venezuelan gang stories and declared them all to be a figment of one member of the Aurora City Council's imagination. (NY Post)

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis dismissed anger over Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua taking over apartment buildings in the Denver suburb of Aurora, calling it “imagination” — despite video footage, police reports and the city’s mayor confirming it’s happening.

Polis’ press office offered the snarky statement Wednesday night in response to Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky — who told The Post the gang’s takeovers are tied to his policies.

“The Governor has already let the Mayor know that the State is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed,” Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for the Democratic governor, told The Post.

“But, according to police intelligence this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky’s imagination.”

This is a fairly stunning response, particularly from a sitting Governor even in the current era of hyperpartisan divisiveness in this country. What could Jared Polis possibly have been thinking? At least one person has been shot and critically wounded. Others were beaten until they required hospitalization. People have been driven out of their homes. There is a daily flow of stolen goods from the local Walmart going into that apartment complex before being sold off on the black market. The local news ran videos of groups of men speaking Spanish and armed with handguns and rifles breaking into one of the apartments. 

This isn't a figment of anyone's imagination. This is all happening and it's very real. Unfortunately, Jared Polis is a Democrat and the Mayor of Aurora and much of the City Council are Republicans. There seems to be little doubt that Polis is playing politics with this situation. Meanwhile, the people living in the area are potentially looking at a life-or-death situation. At what point did members of Tren de Aragua showing up and taking over commercial real estate properties become "no big deal?"

The Governor appeared to backtrack when confronted by the press about this, but only a little bit. His spokesperson claimed that he had already informed the City Council that state troopers and agents from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation would be made available. His spokesperson said that "if Jurinsky has knowledge of such activity, the governor’s office is ready to assist." The question here isn't whether or not a member of the Aurora City Council "has knowledge of" the takeovers. It's how the Governor could possibly not have knowledge of them. Does he own a television?

It's bad enough when random illegal migrants go off the rails and begin attacking police and civilians, seemingly at random. But when Tren de Aragua rolls into town, replete with gang tattoos all over their bodies, it should be far simpler to start rounding them up and either tossing them behind bars or loading them on flights back to Venezuela. Let Maduro's corrupt government deal with them. We have enough issues of our own on our plate.