Venezuelan Gang Activity in Aurora Inspires Divided News Coverage

A trio of Aurora, Colorado, apartments have become the focal point of an intense national debate regarding immigration and crime.

The Details: On August 28, a security footage clip depicting armed members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua inside an apartment building went viral on social media. Local officials, including Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and the Aurora Police Department, called incidents involving the gang "isolated" and "limited" as they took action to clear the three buildings and mitigate gang activity. But as details emerged, suggesting Aurora authorities and building managers had been aware of the gang's presence and activity for months, critical news coverage intensified.

For Context: The properties' owner, CBZ Management, had a history of code violations before the alleged gang activity began. Some residents maintain that CBZ is primarily to blame for the derelict state of the properties. The Biden administration recently sanctioned Tren de Aragua for its criminal activity across the Americas.

How the Media Covered It: Right-rated media emphasized the narrative of the gang "taking over" the properties, accusing local officials and law enforcement of inaction. Left and left-leaning outlets framed the story as an instance of corporate mismanagement by CBZ and the exploitation of immigrants for political gain. Before the viral video, local outlets generally covered the story neutrally; after the video emerged, local coverage began to take shape along partisan lines. AllSides has published a thorough analysis examining each thread of the story to give our readers a complete picture.