AURORA | Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Friday he would force mass deportations of immigrants if he wins the presidency, starting in Aurora and Springfield, Ohio, because of recent controversies surrounding immigrant communities in both cities.
“We’re going to have the largest deportation in the history of our country, and we’re going to start with Springfield and Aurora,” Trump said at a campaign event in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, a golf club he owns, according to Associated Press and streamed sources.
For days, Trump and his vice presidential running mate, JD Vance, have repeated debunked stories about immigrants in Springfield eating dogs and cats.
Trump said he and his campaign may come to Aurora and Springfield in the future to bring even more attention to their anti-immigration policies.
Trump has also parroted disputed and unproven claims by Aurora Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky that Venezuelan gangs have taken over apartment complexes and areas of the city.
Trump focused on both refuted controversies during the presidential debate on Thursday and several times since.
The repeatedly disproven tales about Haitian immigrants in Springfield eating dogs and cats has caused an international uproar, with numerous officials from both parties asking Trump and Vance to stop making the false claims.
Aurora officials pushed back on Trump’s assertions earlier this week, saying that, despite his remarks, the city has not been overrun by Tren de Aragua gang members from Venezuela.
About 40,000 Venezuelan migrants have come to the Denver area over the last two years, many living in Aurora now, according to Venezuelan and immigrant aid agencies.
Aurora police have repeatedly said that the Venezuela street gang has a small presence in the city but has not taken over any of a handful of rundown apartment complexes.
Police announced that 10 people they say are linked to Trens de Aragua gangs have been arrested over the past several months in Aurora and elsewhere in the metro area.
The unproven assertions that they have overcome apartment complexes and even extorted rent payments from tenants was promoted first by Jurinsky and then by Trump.
At a Fox News town hall last week Trump said Venezuelans were “taking over the whole town.”
He’s made several similar claims since then, prompting repeated rebukes from state and local officials, who say the stories undermine local police and endanger the lives of innocent migrants.
The unsubstantiated Aurora allegations gained momentum following last month’s dissemination of video from a resident in the complex that showed armed men knocking on an apartment door, intensifying fears the Tren de Aragua gang was in control of a six-building complex.
City officials have maintained that the buildings, along with two other apartment complexes, were run down because of neglect by the property manager, CBZ Management.
The city and CBZ principals are now embroiled in a legal battle. City officials this week said CBZ and its associated legal and financial partners are being uncooperative.
Both Mayor Mike Coffman and former Aurora police chief Heather Morris have recently disputed claims by Jurinsky and others that gang members collected rent from residents.
Despite the denials, Trump and a growing number of Republican officials insist that local police aid federal immigration agencies in enforcing immigration violations, a practice spurned repeatedly by police and made illegal recently under state law.
Aurora officials on Friday sidestepped the partisan political quagmire Trump set off, but reiterated that local police do not check for citizenship status as they carry out public safety duties.
“It is the responsibility of the appropriate federal authorities to enforce immigration law. APD’s focus is the enforcement of state and local law,” Aurora spokesperson Ryan Luby said in a statement. “Beyond this, we are not in a position to engage in speculation.”
Very sad that Jurinsky feels no shame, sadness or remorse for the damage her lies have cost Aurora. Like Boebert, she is a self-centered narcissist who doesn’t let truth get in the way of whatever it is that she is chasing. That’s not the sort of leader we need.
Well, as a Aurora resident, I just beg to disagree vehemently with you Southshore. I hope in the next election we Aurora citizens get four or more just like her.
Maybe you prefer the leadership like Ward One’s child like, absent most of the time, socialist leaning, contrarian. Or maybe the leadership style of Ward Two’s, very quiet socialist who offers nothing all the time. Or very At-Large socialist, Alison Coombs, who hates the APD and seemingly anyone that disagrees with her outspoken opinions.
Not to worry, Dick’s mother was frightened by a magic negro and a mysterious mexican when he was in the womb. That is why he took on the persona of Barney Fife later in the life. You remember, the shaking deputy sheriff of Mayberry as he fumbles for the one bullet in his pocket as hopes that the big , stong Andy will come to his rescue. Cue: “You aren’t using your real name! You’re a hater!”
It show’s very low intelligence to insult one’s mother when attacking the son! Most educated folks follow this logic.
I suppose your gun toting self thinks that you would be “strong Andy” and come to everyone’s rescue on every subject.
I read your comments that almost always have some reference to a gun in your hands at all times as you think that will protect you. After my tour in the Nam, I swore I’d never have one in my house. I’ve lived by that. That’s the difference between you, me, Andy and I guess Barney Fife. So, take your gun and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine, Old Resident and next time leave my mom out of your mouth.
Relax Dick, yor neck wattle will slap you in the face if your shake too much.
More denial that there are Venezuelan gang members in Aurora, eh? Your side’s association with the “truth” is entirely subjective.
I read the story, hoping to find out what is really happening in Aurora. I was hoping that the press would provide an independent view based on interviews with residents and other people directly involved. But I see this article is simply parroting what the police and the city say. Are there any Real investigative reporters at this publication? Can someone local tell me in which publication I can read the work of real journalists?
Why would I care if anyone, criminal or saint, was from Venezuela or Vermont? Why would I care if they were operating in for what passes for a slum in North Aurora? Why would I pretend that I care about the lives of the slaves I employ to do the unpleasant things that I do not want to do? Will entertain any reasoned response.
It’s time to do some critical thinking on the issue of mass deportation if Trump is re elected. JD Vance said in an interview they will start out “small”…..maybe 1 million to begin with (sarcasm). If we and Springfield, Ohio are ground zero then how does the deportation process unfold? I doubt anybody will volunteer to be deported. Does this mean ICE starts knocking down doors where illegal immigrants live, cuff or tase them, and then put them on a prison bus to DIA or to the local Greyhound Bus Station. I would like any reasonable conservative out there to tell us readers how the deportation will happen without tearing apart Aurora’s social fabric and stature as the most diverse city in the State.
I lived in a condo complex in Aurora from 2009-2020. It was by no means a slum, but moderately priced and affordable. In just my row of condos there were four immigrant families from Africa, Asia and Latin America. At that time Mike Coffman, the new mayor in Aurora touted that one in five residents of the city were born outside of the US and the richness that that added to our community. One of my immigrant neighbors shoveled snow from my walk. One family’s little daughters came and played with my visiting granddaughter. One of those family’s teenage kids walked my dog for me when I was not well. Another teen weeded my flower bed for me. They were wonderful neighbors! Now if Donald Trump gets elected he promises to start his hideous plan to deport millions of immigrants right here in Aurora. It would put at risk all immigrants, not just the undocumented ones. In fact, it puts at risk any person of color in Aurora! And this whole mess began with a Republican Aurora council member and, for a while, the Mayor of Aurora going to a national news source that regularly spreads right-leaning partisan messages and claiming that Aurora has been overrun with Venezuelan gangs. All in hopes of defeating the current Democratic representative for the district by the implication that this supposed horrible invasion of criminals was facilitated by him. Didn’t they have the wisdom and foresight to realize what their machinations would bring down on the people of their community, the one they swore to serve?
The issue is not whether illegal aliens are good or bad people, it’s that they are here illegally and have no legal bearing to be in the US. As an immigrant, I assure you that most legal immigrants do not want illegal aliens here. Why should people who have gone through the immigration process fairly be penalized competing for the same jobs illegal aliens are doing under the table, while getting increasingly more government benefits? It’s completely absurd – and only the privileged and wealthy can sit here and say that illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay here and receive the same benefits as legal immigrants who are trying to survive but are being dragged down by people who are breaking the law by being here.
Well, well, well. Hey dumbass Trump, do you even know where Aurora, Colorado is located? Do you know the demographics of Aurora? Do you know the population? Of, I forgot, you don’t read or care to find out what is true and not true. Go find more “cat eaters” You sick ASS****! MEOW! MEOW!