Two individuals connected to the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua were shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent in Southeast Portland, as reported by KFOXTV and KATU News. The Department of Homeland Security identified the suspects as Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, detailing that Moncada had entered the United States illegally in 2022 near El Paso, Texas. Zambrano-Contreras also crossed into the U.S. illegally in 2023 through the El Paso sector. The DHS statement pointedly noted that both individuals were released into the country by the Biden administration.
DHS officials added that Moncada has been previously arrested for driving under the influence and unauthorized use of a vehicle, and he now has a final order of removal. Zambrano-Contreras has been associated with a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and was involved in a prior shooting in Portland. The El Paso Times reported that Tren de Aragua has been implicated in drug dealing, sex trafficking, and human smuggling for Mexican cartels, among other criminal activities.
The shooting incident occurred after the federal agents attempted to pull over the vehicle that Moncada was driving. When he reportedly tried to flee and aimed to hit the agents, DHS labeled the shooting as an act of self-defense. Following the confrontation, Moncada was shot in the arm and Zambrano-Contreras in the chest, with Portland’s Police Chief Bob Day confirming to KATU News that she remains in stable condition. Moncada has been taken into FBI custody.
There has been an ongoing debate surrounding the presence of Tren de Aragua members in the U.S. The Trump administration frequently cited ties to the criminal group as justification for deporting Venezuelan migrants. However, advocacy groups argue that some deportees were unjustly accused with scarce substantiation, claiming that the gang, according to law enforcement sources and documentation, is relatively small and unsophisticated.
