"Former president Trump doesn't seem to care who he hurts with his rhetoric," Governor Jared Polis said. "We hope we can turn lemons into lemonade and really show how incredible Aurora is in the national limelight."
In front of posters promoting Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, Polis spoke alongside Colorado congressional members John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, Jason Crow and Diana DeGette. Polis said that they "welcome the eyes of the nation," reassuring all that "Aurora is a safe place to live, a safe, vibrant, wonderful place," noting that it's the fastest-growing city in Colorado.
Trump arrived in Aurora on Friday, October 11, on the tail of national headlines claiming that apartment buildings, and even the city as a whole, were being taken over by Venezuelan gangs. Although Aurora Police have denied that Venezuelan gangs have a serious presence in the city, Trump called Aurora a "war zone" and mentioned the city during the September 10 presidential debate as an example of a place being "violently" taken over by immigrants.
Crow, who represents Aurora in the House of Representatives as part of Congressional District 6, conceded a handful of crimes have been committed by Venezuelans who are suspected gang members, but fought back against Trump's claims.
"I've spoke with federal law enforcement numerous times, and they are very clear: There is no uptick in transnational gang activity in Colorado and in this area. What is occurring is minimal and isolated, and to be clear, it's never acceptable," Crow said. "But it's not a surge, it's not a change, there is no takeover of any part of the city or any apartment complex. It has not happened. It is a lie."
Crow is running to keep his congressional seat. His opponent, John Fabbricatore, a former field director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has partnered with Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky for national TV appearances to push the narrative that Venezuelan gangs are taking over the city.
Hickenlooper called out the former president for relying on immigration to boost his campaign, and he blamed Trump for using his influence with congressional Republicans to kill a United States border security bill in February as the Denver area was experiencing a surge in migrant arrivals.
"He tanked the most comprehensive border security bill in at least the past decade," Hickenlooper said. "His campaign needed the issue...it would have brought resources to states like Colorado and to communities like Aurora."
Hickenlooper also put in a good word for Harris, his former opponent in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. "She'll make sure she can build up places like Aurora, not try to tear them down for a political stunt," he said. "We're going need to make sure we get her elected, or we'll be living through these kinds of situations again and again, the chaos we saw before."
Along a similar note, Bennet stressed that Trump "has a pathological hatred for immigrants," adding that the former president should be back in his residential state of Florida paying attention to people impacted by Hurricane Milton.
"Donald Trump has invited himself to Aurora to do what Donald Trump does best: to demonize immigrants," Bennet said. "The idea that he is here making up lies about Aurora, lies about Colorado, is reason enough that he should not be re-elected president."
Bennet also praised Aurora as "the reason why immigrants come to our country, and it shows how immigrants enrich our country. The small businesses alone; the schools in that community pulsate with children from all over this world."
Polis also invited Harris to Aurora to "highlight the contrast" with her opponent.
"We hope that she can dine with us in Koreatown, enjoy the Stanley Marketplace, perhaps take in Cherry Creek State Reservoir, a true gem," the governor said. "Coloradans are firmly in the camp of Kamala Harris. We're firmly in the camp of Aurora in Colorado. We love the city of Aurora."
"We hope that she can dine with us in Koreatown, enjoy the Stanley Marketplace, perhaps take in Cherry Creek State Reservoir, a true gem," the governor said. "Coloradans are firmly in the camp of Kamala Harris. We're firmly in the camp of Aurora in Colorado. We love the city of Aurora."
The governor also called out Trump's choice of venue to speak, the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. While it is a "major event center," Polis pointed out that it's far from the center of Aurora.
"Unfortunately, the former president will only see the inside of the Gaylord Rockies, which is certainly worth seeing," he said. "But Aurora has so much to offer."
