Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain told migrants during a press conference last week, “We are here to serve you, documented or documented.”
Chamberlain made his remarks after a home invasion robbery at a troubled apartment complex on Dallas Street that houses Venezuelan migrants and has been the site of gang activity. Chamberlain said the victims of the crime were beaten and stabbed and robbed of hundreds of dollars. As terrible as the crime was, Chamberlain said it marked a breakthrough incident where undocumented migrants trusted the police enough to report the crime. Sixteen people were arrested at the apartment complex, including eight detained by ICE, Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain explained that Venezuelan gangs followed migrants here and prey upon them knowing they won’t report the crime out of fear of deportation. With calls for deportation at a fever pitch by conservative lawmakers and hardworking, ordinary Americans, distrust of law enforcement by undocumented migrants is high. But Chamberlain said if the victim of a crime is not victimizing someone themselves, they have nothing to worry about regarding their immigration status.