The mayor of Aurora, Colorado, Michael Coffman, recently addressed concerns surrounding a video depicting Venezuelan gang members carrying out violence in apartment complexes in his town. Coffman clarified that the situation had been exaggerated for political purposes and that the gangs were not in control of the properties. He explained that the complexes faced maintenance issues and had a lack of management, with property managers disappearing and tenants not paying rent.
Coffman mentioned that the influx of immigrants, including Venezuelans, had caused problems in the town, attracting criminal elements due to a lack of vetting at the border. He expressed frustration with the current immigration system, noting that immigrants were unable to work legally for months after arriving, making them vulnerable to exploitation by gangs. Coffman criticized both parties for failing to address immigration issues effectively, calling for bipartisan solutions from Congress.
The situation in Aurora gained attention after Republican politicians tied it to the Biden administration’s immigration policy during a press conference. They blamed the government for the unrest caused by the migrant population. Coffman, a Republican himself, disagreed with their approach, stating that they were using the issue for political gain in the upcoming election.
The mayor called for comprehensive immigration reform and criticized the lack of action by both the Obama and Trump administrations. He emphasized the need for a sustainable solution to address the broken immigration system, which, according to him, was the root cause of the current challenges faced in his town.
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