U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member in Colorado Springs on Wednesday, according to a post on X. 

According to law enforcement, Pedro Rafael Cartaya-Rojas, 30, is a Venezuelan national who allegedly entered the country illegally on Nov. 20, 2023. 

According to Gazette coverage, Tren de Aragua, or TDA, is a Venezuelan prison gang turned transnational criminal organization operating in Denver and Aurora. 

Federal authorities have said TdA gang members have been involved in several criminal activities that include drug trafficking, kidnapping, money laundering, extortion and human trafficking.

The first appearance of gang members in Aurora dates back to 2023. Other Gazette coverage says gang members came into the country with other Venezuelans who fled President Nicolás Maduro’s oppressive regime.

Timeline of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Colorado

Cartaya-Rojas was a part of ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program — which exists to increase compliance rates regarding court appearances as well as assisting in case management for non-detained aliens.

The program allows the aliens to stay in the community, under supervision, as they progress through legal proceedings or make plans to leave the country, according to the ICE website. 

According to the social media post Tuesday, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. The news swiftly follows an announcement by the Sheriff’s Office Friday that ICE recently arrested several other Venezuelan gang members in El Paso County.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office referred all requests for additional details such as names, charges and the location of the arrests to U.S. immigration officials. ICE did not immediately respond to a media inquiry.

ICE arrests several Venezuelan gang members in El Paso County, sheriff’s office says

Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, ICE raids hit the streets of Denver, Aurora, Denver, Thornton and Arapahoe County

In response, several protests have followed the harder-line approach to immigration enforcement. Feb. 5 protests shut down major roadways in the state capital as thousands gathered to speak up against the roads and several other executive orders signed by Trump. 

Protests and rallies even made their way down to Colorado Springs. Hundreds protested Trump administration in downtown Colorado Springs on Presidents Day. Another protest in support in immigrants on Feb. 8 outside City Hall drew nearly 100. 

Nearly 100 rally outside Colorado Springs City Hall Saturday in support of immigrants