Authorities in Aurora, Colorado, announced on Wednesday the arrest of 10 members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua.

The arrests come in the wake of recent viral surveillance footage showing armed men taking over an apartment building in the city.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Council Member Danielle Jurinsky, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, released a joint statement on the arrests.

The statement was issued with the “full endorsement” of both the city manager and the Aurora Police Department (APD).

“For some time, well before concerns about TdA in Colorado generated national attention, APD had been arresting people for various criminal activities who had suspected, but not necessarily confirmed, TdA connections. To date, APD has now linked 10 people to TdA and has arrested eight of those people,” the statement read.

“Two of the eight individuals who were taken into custody were involved in a July shooting at one of the specific properties in the city that have experienced issues with TdA activity. In line with these arrests, we can also now confirm that criminal activity, including TdA issues, had significantly affected those properties.”

The 10 arrests are connected to “committing acts of violence against members of the migrant community,” according to the Aurora Police Department. Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan prison gang, has many members in the U.S. who are illegal immigrants. The charges against the arrested individuals include child abuse, attempted first-degree murder, illegal discharge of a firearm, and other crimes. All 10 individuals are documented members of Tren de Aragua, and one of the warrants dates back to a November 2023 assault at the Whispering Pines apartments in Aurora.

The joint statement from Aurora officials also addressed misinformation circulating on social media and through certain media outlets. “As for the perception and reality of public safety in Aurora, please understand that issues experienced at a select few properties do not apply to the city as a whole or large portions of it. TdA has not ‘taken over’ the city. The overstated claims fueled by social media and through select news organizations are simply not true,” the statement clarified.

In response to increased Tren de Aragua activity in Aurora and nearby areas like Arapahoe County and Denver, a joint task force has been established, involving the Aurora Police Department and “other local, state, and federal partners.”

The statement concluded with a commitment to diversity and public safety: “We will continue to embrace our identity as the most diverse city in Colorado and remain steadfast in our commitment to arrest bad actors.”

The backdrop of these events is Colorado’s status as a sanctuary state, following the signing of HB19-1124 in 2019 by Governor Jared Polis. This law restricts the enforcement of federal immigration law and cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Governor Polis faced backlash after describing the apartment takeovers caught on video in Aurora as “imagination.” Following the arrests, his office responded to Fox News Digital’s inquiry. “Aurora is a great, vibrant city of more than 400,000 hardworking Coloradans and a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family and the Governor hopes that there has not been reputational damage from previous, cynical statements made by certain city officials,” said a spokesperson for Governor Polis.

The spokesperson emphasized Colorado’s “zero-tolerance” stance on illegal activities and confirmed that the Governor’s public safety team has been actively engaged with Aurora city officials on addressing the issue of Tren de Aragua in the community.