Portlands police chief fought back tears as he acknowledged that two Venezuelan nationals shot during a federal immigration operation had suspected links to one of South Americas most notorious criminal gangs.
According to Fox News, Chief Bob Day confirmed a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement identifying the pair as Venezuelan criminal illegal aliens with suspected ties to the violent Tren de Aragua (TdA) syndicate, a gang that has spread its influence across the Western Hemisphere amid the ongoing border crisis.
The individuals, named by DHS as Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, were both wounded when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent opened fire after a confrontation outside a federal immigration facility. Federal officials said the shooting occurred after Moncada, who was driving, allegedly weaponized his vehicle and tried to run down agents, prompting one officer to shoot in self-defense.
They do have some nexus to involvement with TDA. We can confirm that, Day said, pausing as he visibly struggled to maintain his composure. The chief, who has led a department long constrained by progressive city leadership and anti-enforcement politics, said he initially hesitated to reveal the suspected gang connection because of what he called the historic injustice of victim blaming by law enforcement, including within his own agency.
Day, clearly aware of the political sensitivities surrounding illegal immigration and policing in a liberal stronghold, directed part of his remarks to Portlands Hispanic residents. I want to speak for just a moment, specifically to my Latino community, he said, underscoring that his disclosure was not intended to stigmatize law-abiding immigrants who are often the first victims of transnational gangs.
It saddens me that we even have to qualify these remarks because I understand or at least have attempted to understand your voices, your concern, your fear, your anger, Day said, removing his glasses and wiping away tears as he spoke. This information, in no way, is meant to disparage or to condone or support or agree with any of the actions that occurred yesterday, he added, insisting that transparency about criminal ties must not be confused with a justification for the use of force.
The chief stressed that the revelation of suspected TdA links was being made solely in the interest of public candor, not as a legal defense of the shooting, which remains under active investigation. But it is important that we stay committed to the rule of law, that we stay committed to the facts, that we stay a trustworthy and legitimate police department for all Portlanders, he said, implicitly pushing back against the anti-police narrative that has dominated the citys politics in recent years.
Day said both Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras remain hospitalized in stable condition and are being held by federal authorities. They are in custody of federal law enforcement, but they appear to be on the road to recovery, and Im grateful for that, he said, noting that federal agencies, not local police, are now responsible for their detention.
DHS, confronting a wave of speculation fueled by activist narratives, denounced early claims that the two were a married couple as revolting lies. The department said Moncada was a suspected gang associate, while Zambrano-Contreras was allegedly involved in a TdA-linked prostitution ring, a reminder that the Biden administrations lax border posture has allowed sophisticated criminal networks to exploit both migrants and American communities.
Day himself has been sharply criticized by Camilla Wamsley, director of Portlands U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, who said the federal facility has endured dozens of nights of violence while Portland police, under orders from the mayor and city council, have largely stayed away.
The chief has previously declared that his department will not assist in immigration enforcement operations, reflecting the citys sanctuary-style politics, but he maintains that Portland Police manages public safety in surrounding neighborhoods during demonstrationseven as federal officers and local residents bear the brunt of policies that prioritize ideology over law and order.
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