A Texas judge has shut down the Gateway Hotel in El Paso after city officials reported nearly 700 calls for police service due to criminal activity linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. This alarming incident has raised concerns about the growing threat of migrant-related crime, which has been exacerbated by the Biden administration’s lack of serious action to control the border and address gang violence.
The El Paso County Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit against the hotel’s owners, accusing them of allowing gang activity, drug use, and violence to flourish unchecked on the property. The hotel, operating without a valid certificate of occupancy for six years, became a hub for criminal organizations. Tren de Aragua members were reportedly using the hotel as a base of operations, with police identifying several Venezuelan migrants with the gang’s signature tattoos.
Violence at the hotel escalated, with incidents involving guns, knives, and even a hatchet. Footage released by county authorities showed chaos in the halls, including men wielding weapons and firing shots in the presence of children. Despite warnings, the hotel’s owners failed to take steps to address the problem, according to the lawsuit.