AURORA | Aurora will be the center of the U.S. presidential campaign Friday as GOP presidential contender Donald Trump makes good on weeks of promises to hold a rally here to amplify his debunked allegations about Aurora being overrun with Venezuelan gangs.
Democrats, Trump critics, immigrants and immigrant activists are planning separate events Friday, in addition to promising protests at Trump’s campaign appearance at the Gaylord of the Rockies hotel, at the city’s eastern edge.
Costs related to Donald Trump’s planned visit to Aurora on Friday will be covered by the city government, not the presidential candidate’s campaign, El Comercio de Colorado first reported.
City spokesman Ryan Luby told the outlet that it is the city’s and Aurora Police Department’s responsibility – not Trump’s — “to ensure a safe visit and mitigate risks, regardless of the associated costs.”
It is yet unclear what those costs will amount to, and how many city police officers and other staffers need to prepare for, work and clean up after Trump’s appearance in a community he has called a “war zone” and vowed to “liberate” from an influx of Venezuelan immigrants.
The former president and current Republican nominee for president has been the target of two assassination attempts since July. The Secret Service has increased its protection of him. City police presence around Trump’s sold-out rally at the Gaylord Rockies resort near Denver International Airport also is likely to be heightened.
The event, scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, is meant to seal a promise Trump made to visit the city he repeatedly has said, inaccurately, has been overrun by members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan prison gang also known as TdA.
That false narrative was perpetuated largely by Aurora Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky and, to a lesser extent, Mayor Mike Coffman, both right-wing Republicans, since early August. Both suggested in several local and national news appearances and on social media that members of the gang were terrorizing apartment complexes and whole swaths of the city.
Coffman has since distanced himself from those assertions, now saying TdA does not pose a significant threat in Aurora. Jurinksy, in the meantime, has leaned into the claims and continues fueling fears about Venezuelan immigrants — a key campaign talking point for Trump’s presidential bid and other far-right political campaigns this election season.
She and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a candidate for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District who has repeated the false narratives about Aurora, are expected to greet Trump at his rally on Friday. Coffman has said he will not attend.
“Former President Trump’s visit to Aurora is an opportunity to show him and the nation that Aurora is a considerably safe city – not a city overrun by Venezuelan gangs,” Coffman said in a statement Wednesday.
He noted that his invitation to show the former president around Aurora and meet with the city’s new police chief, Todd Chamberlain, “still stands” — but Trump apparently has not taken him up on that offer.
Said Coffman: “The reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity have been grossly exaggerated. The incidents were limited to several apartment complexes in this city of more than 400,000 residents.”
File Photo by PHILIP B. POSTON/Sentinel Colorado
Democratic response
For its part, the Colorado Harris-Walz Campaign on Thursday slammed Trump for its election-season scare tactics.
“Donald Trump will say anything to distract from the truth: When given the chance, he tanked the strongest border security deal in decades because he’d rather run on a problem than fix it,” said Kara Powell, the campaign’s deputy state communications director. “After decades of working in law enforcement, Vice President Harris has spent her career taking on criminals and protecting the safety and security of Americans. As President, she will bring back and sign the border security deal Trump blocked.”
At least four Democratic elected officials will underscore that message Friday morning ahead of Trump’s visit. Gov. Jared Polis, Aurora Congressman Jason Crow, Denver Congresswoman Diana DeGette and U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper are slated to host an 11 a.m. news conference at Stanley Marketplace to, as a Harris campaign press says, “Hold Trump accountable for spreading misinformation about the Aurora community.”
Later in the day Friday residents in northwest Aurora embroiled in Jurinsky and Trump’s anti-immigrant allegations, plan a protest and fiesta at a so-far undisclosed location in the neighborhood. The event is intended as what organizers call a counter-narrative to the racist rhetoric against Aurora’s Venezuelan community, said V Reeves, an organizer with Housekeys Action Network Denver.
“The tenants at the center of a lot of the racist rhetoric that these politicians are using decided that their response was not going to be isolating or being afraid,” Reeves said. “Instead, they said that they would like to have a community event where they invite people from the community to come and share food, dance and celebrate the richness of who they are, of their culture and also the value that they bring to our community.”
The Sentinel will provide updates throughout the day.
Any candidate no matter what party should pay the costs of them benefitting from campaigning in Aurora.Ask El Paso, Texas about trump not paying his bills. He is famous for skipping and has no shame screwing local governments. He is a plain old crook.
right on Bill. right on!
and that is why Aurora KNOWS it has to pay for this. They say the tickets are sold out but I can’t find any reference to how much those tickets are? I sorta hope the Venezuelan’s show up to protest myself
Just like you expecting religious groups to pay for abortions. Hmmmmm
A billionaire can’t rub two nickels together?
Oops, I forgot, he stiffs you anyway. Why bother to generate an invoice?
No thank you.
We don’t need Trump, Bobert, or Jurinski to lie to us anymore. That’s the way they campaign and I’m fed up with listening to crap! We’ve got real issues to solve.
This will trigger the Sentinel for sure.
It should also trigger you if you live here. Duh.
Thanks for comfirming your political theology.
Apparently your political “theology” requires supporting a proven liar and scammer.
Simply shoving your own “liberating tolerance” back down your throat, Jeff.
So not being cool with MY city paying for a supposed billionaire’s security is now a ‘political theology’? Interesting. How your brain works is god’s own mystery.
Lol, please. Like that’s what’s really bothering you. But your attempt at deflection is noted.
Why is Aurora footing the security bill for a Klan rally, especially when the Klan keeps shorting cities across the country?
Your side is the one that seems to enjoy wearing masks these days, Bart.
Actually you are taxpayer! Thanks. I’m sure you think it’s fine for taxpayers to fund abortions right?
For shame! By paying for security the city is making a campaign donation which I believe is illegal. Someone better check Colorado laws.
This is ludicrous. At least Coffman is showing good sense by avoiding Trump’s clown show. If I were a citizen of Aurora I would be storming city hall to force the odious Trump to pay his own damned bills. He and Boebert together on the same stage. Two low lives preening for the MAGA idiots. Doesn’t get any worse.
Would the Sentinel even comment if the other candidate was coming to town?
To all the ignorant out there ranting. Who do you think pays the bill for security when any president, current or former, or the first ladies visit a city like Aurora???
The local law enforcement never gets reimbursed for providing security or motorcades for any dignitary.
When Kamala visits Colorado during her campaign, she will also get the same security at the cost to the citizens of Aurora if her rally is in the city of Aurora.
Let me see if I understand this correctly: The Aurora Police Department, who Trump believes are letting immigrant take over the City of Aurora, is footing the bill for a political event to further criticize them. Political campaign from any party should be required to pay in advance for any extraordinary security expenses.
If you want to see worse, Jim, just look in the mirror.
I look in the mirror daily. Do you Orphan? I’m none the worse for wear as a consequence. You on the other hand obviously are supporting racists, Nazi’s, white supremicists and anything remotely related to the despicable cause of MAGA and Donald Trump. The next time you comb your hair take a good look! Have a nice day!
Yes, to marxists, anyone who resists their dumb political theology is a racist, Nazi, and white supremacist.
Try some more rad-left boilerplate names, maybe one will stick. LMAO.
You know your Trumpisms well. In fact you are eaten alive with them. You laugh you ass off at your own expense as it tells us much about you. You support a convicted felon, an indicted criminal, a cowardly traitor who demeans our troops and who’s been found liable for sexual abuse. Is that the kind of person anyone in their right mind would worship? No it isn’t. Yet you do. What does that tell us about out you your morals or your character. Boiler plate names indeed. I pity you sir.
Laugh to your hearts content. You support a racist, white supremicist, felon, sexual predator a cowardly traitor who demeans our troops. What does that say about you. The extremist political “theology” belongs to you. Laugh all you want. I’m sorry for you.
Keep sputtering and spitting some more, Jim. Literally nothing you state needs to be taken at face value, and the projection in your posts can be seen from Pluto.
If Trump had any character, he would visit the places people like FWO claim are overrun with gangbangers terrifying the innocent citizenry.
But Trump is a coward, always has been, so Gaylord’s (not the place I think of as the beating heart of Aurora) it is.
Yes, Jeff, we know you think there aren’t any gang members in Aurora, multiple shootings the last several years to the contrary.
When candidate Hillary Clinton appearered at the old Lowry Air Force Base she naturally traveled through Aurora. The City had an extraordinary police presence that day guarding her motorcade. When the DNC was in Denver APD was requested to particopate in security and did so. APD and the City were partially reimbursed but Denver and Aurora squabbled over that reimbursement for several years.
Maybe sincve he is coming based upon comments by Councilmember Jurinsky she ought to pay for the security. This is her moment in the sun, which as we all know shines on a dog’s behind same as yours and mine.
Awwww, you’re mad. How cute. Maybe sex reckless women should pay for their own abortions too?
Come now Juan. Could you post something more mindnumbingly stupid and loathsome than this asinine comment. You are no doubt capable of this and worse. You’re a Trump fan after all and have learned well from your master. No one is mad Juan. We’re simply questioning your sanity.
Sanity? No. I’m questioning his maturity. Worthwhile trolling is an art form now. This one’s showing up with connect-the-dots and color-by-numbers.
I thought we were all going to tone down the rhetoric and try to come together as a Republic and vote somebody new into office, we don’t need to point fingers. There’s enough blame to go around regardless of the party, we need to come together peacefully and calmly vote in the next President while setting a good example for the younger generations. There’s no reason to get all jumpy like it’s the first time you’ve heard that we’re paying for a police presence when as we all know Obama, Biden, and Harris have visited and received police protection at I presume to be our expense too. If you’re just here to berate others, I would ask that you confine your verbal assault to the Democrats so we come across as welcoming to our Republican visitors. I almost made it without rhetoric and sarcasm.
Sadly Nick, Trump is not a Republican visitor. Trump is here to insight racism and hate. Trump not a Republican. What remains of the Republican Party is a decent into the extremist abyss. I doubt Ronald Reagan would recognize the remnants of his once grand old party. MAGA Republicans fell for an evil narcissist who’s depraved life is a monument to irrationality and deceit. Sorry Nick. Donald Trump is not a Republican visitor. Trump is a cowardly traitor.
Lmao, as if your side hasn’t been calling Republicans “fascists” ( the go-to pejorative of marxists) since Truman. TF you think you’re kidding here, Jim?