The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Thursday night that the two suspects shot after “weaponizing” a vehicle against a Border Patrol agent in Portland are affiliates of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua—details that emerged only after Democrats and their media allies rushed to assign blame, facts optional.
The shooting occurred during what DHS described as a “targeted vehicle stop” by Border Patrol officials in Portland, Oregon. According to the agency, once agents identified themselves, the driver attempted to use the vehicle as a weapon, trying to run over law enforcement officers. Faced with an immediate threat to his life, an agent opened fire. The driver then fled the scene with the passenger.
In other words, not exactly the peaceful misunderstanding some were eager to portray.
DHS later identified the suspects as Luis David Nico Moncada, the driver, and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, the passenger. Both are Venezuelan nationals released into the United States under the Biden administration and are connected to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua.
According to DHS, Moncada is a suspected Tren de Aragua member with a final order of removal who had previously been arrested for DUI and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Zambrano-Contreras, the agency said, played an active role in a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and had been involved in a prior shooting in Portland. But sure—let’s rush to condemn the agents enforcing the law.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed Friday that both suspects remain hospitalized and will be taken into federal custody once released.
The Portland incident came just one day after another attack on U.S. immigration officials, this time in Minneapolis. During an enforcement operation there, a woman interfered with ICE agents, refused to comply, and then accelerated her vehicle toward—and into—an agent. The agent fired in self-defense, and the woman, later identified as an anti-ICE activist, died from the incident.
As with Portland, left-wing activists and members of the media immediately seized on the Minneapolis case to attack ICE, downplaying or outright ignoring the fact that a vehicle was used against a federal agent before shots were fired. Reality, it seems, is inconvenient when it clashes with the narrative.
Taken together, these incidents highlight a growing and dangerous pattern: immigration officers enforcing existing laws are increasingly facing violent resistance, followed by political and media attacks designed to undermine them. The Trump administration, meanwhile, continues to make one thing clear—law enforcement has the right to defend itself, and Americans deserve the truth.
With DHS releasing the facts and holding suspects accountable, the rule of law is being reaffirmed. And that’s a positive step forward for public safety, national security, and a country that still believes laws are meant to be enforced.
