In the heart of Chicago's South Side, a neighborhood notorious for its high crime rates, a new threat is emerging.
Former gang member Tyrone Muhammad, who now leads the violence prevention program Ex-Cons for Social Change, has observed an influx of Venezuelan migrants and the criminal Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang.
This development has sparked outrage among the local African-American community, who are already grappling with poverty and crime. Muhammad, 53, is particularly concerned about the potential for violent conflict between local gangs and the newcomers.
Muhammad, who has spent two decades in state prison for murder, expressed his concerns to The New York Post. "It is impossible to release gang members and criminals into our country through the borders and broken walls and infiltrate them in our community that's already impoverished and broken," he said. Muhammad warns of a potential explosion of violence if the local gangs grow tired of the criminal activities of these migrants. "When the black gangs here get fed up with the illegalities and criminal activities of these migrants or non-citizens, the city of Chicago is going to go up in flames and there will be nothing the National Guard or the government can do about it when the bloodshed hits the streets. It'll be blacks against migrants."
Chicago has reportedly spent nearly half a billion dollars over the past two years on the more than 42,000 migrants who have arrived since 2022. This has led to resentment among local residents, who see government resources being diverted to newcomers at their expense. Some landlords have even evicted local African-Americans to make room for migrants, who bring in more government money for housing.
The TDA, a former Venezuelan prison gang turned multinational crime syndicate, is said to be making its presence felt on the South Side. Sources in Chicago told The Post that TDA members, identifiable by their Chicago Bulls attire, are heavily armed and encroaching on territories traditionally controlled by local gangs. Despite denials from the Standard Club migrant shelter of any criminal activity within its premises, activist Terry Newsome has uncovered 720 police incident reports at the shelter over the past year alone.
Newsome, a white Chicago father-turned-activist, has joined forces with Muhammad and others to investigate the extent of migrant crime in the city. They have made numerous Freedom of Information Act requests to uncover the truth. Newsome's findings indicate a range of criminal activities, including sex trafficking, child pornography, drugs, carjackings, and excessive spousal violence, occurring at four downtown shelters.
The situation is further complicated by the release of a TDA gang member by a Chicago judge, despite a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain him. This individual was later charged in a violent jewelry store heist in Denver, Colorado, where TDA members have reportedly taken over apartment buildings.
The South Side's residents, including young gang members referred to as "the millennials," are frustrated and angry at what they perceive as the city officials' favoritism towards the migrants. David, a young member of the Gangster Disciples, told The Post, "The real issue is that America has allowed gangs to enter our country. Gangs that they would consider ex-terrorist groups. They let terrorist groups into our country!"
Zacc Massie, 27, a street leader who was recently released from prison, echoed this sentiment. "They be moving in our own territory and robbing people but they don't get arrested like we do. I actually talked to one on the translator app. He told me all the things he got going on; how they helped him get a car, an apartment, (EBT) card, all this stuff. They giving them thousands, we get maybe $400 a month. And they don't even have Social Security numbers!"
Corey Rogers, a member of the Black P Stone gang, took The Post on a tour of the area, pointing out locations where he said Venezuelan gangs have been brandishing their guns. He also shared a gang Whatsapp thread with texts from gang members threatening turf wars with the Venezuelans. "What bothers me is that the Venezuelans are united," Rogers said. "The black gangs are too divided and they take each other down."
Charles Harris, 55, a senior member of the "organization," as they call their gang, expressed his concern about the escalating situation. "It's still violent down here but it's calmed down a lot. The last thing we need are the Venezuelans."
Muhammad, who was once the enforcer for Larry Hoover, head of the Gangster Disciples street gang, has formed a group called Ex-Cons for Trump. He believes that the Democrats have failed the inner-city black community. "It's not so much Trump himself, it's that the Democrats are selling us down the river," he said. "The boujee (upwardly mobile) blacks might like Kamala Harris but she isn't going to do anything for us."
The Rev. Corey Brooks, who established his New Beginnings Church and his outreach group Project Hood on the O Block more than 20 years ago, shares Muhammad's conservative views. He believes that the city's Democratic policies have failed and is deeply concerned about the impact of migrant criminal gangs. "Chicago is a blue city and Illinois is a blue state but people are starting to wake up," Brooks said. "It's not about the person, it's about the policies. I've seen what's happening with my own eyes when it comes to the migrant criminal gangs and it's very concerning."
Brooks' concerns are not unfounded. He recently learned about a young Venezuelan migrant who had to flee his apartment when his roommates turned out to be a criminal gang. "People will accuse me of fear-mongering because I'm a Republican and a conservative but I know what I saw," Brooks said. "The Venezuelan gangs took over his apartment and were doing illegal activities. I know the crimes that were being committed and how in danger his life was."
The young man, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, confirmed Brooks' account. "If they found out I was talking to anyone, they'd end my family's life with one bullet," he said in Spanish. "These are bad people."
The frustration is not limited to gang members. Octavia Mitchell, who lost her son and nephew to gun violence, formed the Heal Your Heart organization. She feels that the city's focus on migrants is diverting resources from locals who need them. "I can't even reach nobody at City Hall or anywhere else that cares," Mitchell said. "They care about the migrants but they don't care about people like us whose roots are here. We matter, you know?"
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