Law Enforcement Grapples with Illegal Migrant Crime

What happened: A 19-year-old illegal migrant was arrested Tuesday in New York City on robbery charges — just weeks after being charged with assaulting police officers.

• Catch up: The teen and a mob of asylum seekers were seen on video beating two NYC police officers last month. He and four others were released without bail.

Why it matters: Higher crime rates are a direct result of the city’s unprecedented influx of illegal migrants under President Joe Biden. Law enforcement investigations indicate a mix of random and coordinated criminal acts are on the rise — not exclusively in the Big Apple but across the country.

Gang members: The NYPD says the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is likely tied to a series of cell phone robberies by thieves on mopeds, one of whom brutally dragged a woman on the ground before driving away. The phones are reportedly used to drain the victims’ bank accounts and are then sold in South America.

• Criminal networks: Tren de Aragua has been recruiting members at NYC migrant shelters, according to the NYPD. The FBI suspects the gang might be partnering with MS-13 — another gang known for extreme brutality.

• Beyond NYC: One illegal migrant arrested in December was allegedly part of a criminal operation spanning New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

Paying debts: It’s common for traffickers to bring migrants into the U.S. illegally and force them to pay their debts with cash or through forced labor. Officials across New York now say migrants are burglarizing homes and committing thefts to pay back Mexican cartels and other human smugglers.