The recent influx of Venezuelan gangs and migrants in Aurora, Colorado, has raised serious concerns about the city's ability to manage the situation. The Biden administration, in partnership with Denver authorities and publicly subsidized NGOs, has provided funding and logistics to place a large number of Venezuelan migrants in the city, creating a magnet for crime and gangs. But what's behind this sudden influx, and what are the consequences for the community?

The story begins with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which allocated $3.8 billion in federal funds to Colorado. The city of Denver, which had declared itself a "welcoming city" to migrants, drew on this funding to launch its Emergency Migrant Response resettlement program. The program aimed to house and provide services to a massive flow of migrants, but it seems that the city's enthusiasm for welcoming migrants has led to a recipe for disaster.

Two local NGOs, ViVe Wellness and Papagayo, were awarded multimillion-dollar contracts to provide housing and services to over 8,000 predominantly Venezuelan migrants. However, a closer look at the NGOs reveals that their founders, Yoli Casas and Marielena Suarez, have no previous experience in large-scale migrant resettlement. Nevertheless, the city flooded them with cash.

Between 2023 and 2024, ViVe Wellness and Papagayo received $4.8 million and $774,000, respectively, from the Migrant Support Grant, which was funded by ARPA. Then, in 2024, ViVe secured an extra $10.4 million across three contracts, while Papagayo received $2.9 million from a single contract to serve migrants.

As a result, the two NGOs began working with landlords to place migrants in housing units and to subsidize their rent. One of these organizations, Papagayo, worked with a landlord called CBZ Management, a property company that operates three apartment buildings in the center of the controversy. A former CBZ Management employee revealed that Papagayo arranged hundreds of contracts with the property manager, providing up to two months of rental assistance to the migrants.

However, the employee also alleged that these agreements were made on false pretenses. Papagayo assured the employee that the tenants had stable jobs and income, but many migrants were ineligible for legal employment and struggled to find stable jobs. This led to many migrants falling behind on rent, causing trouble in the apartments.

According to a confidential legal report, the apartments saw a string of crimes, including trespassing, assault, extortion, drug use, illegal firearm possession, human trafficking, and sexual abuse of minors. Each of the three apartment complexes has since shown a localized spike in crime.

Volunteers who spoke with us on condition of anonymity said they were initially eager to assist with migrant resettlement but grew disillusioned with the NGOs running it. "I am passionate about helping migrants, and I have been honestly shocked at the way the city is sending funds to an organization that clearly is not equipped to handle it," one volunteer said.

Denver, for its part, appears to be charging ahead. It recently voted to provide additional funding for migrant programs, and according to the right-leaning Common Sense Institute, the total cost to Denver could be up to $340 million, factoring in new burdens on schools and the health-care system.

The truth is that there is no sanctuary for a city, a county, or a country that welcomes — and, in fact, attracts — violent gang members from Venezuela. This is cruelty, not compassion. Unfortunately, it might take more than the seizure of an apartment building, a dramatic rise in crime, and a grisly murder for cities like Denver to change course.

"Venezuelan Gangs and Migrants Take Over Aurora, Colorado: A Recipe for Disaster"

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