Suspected TdA associate shot in Portland entered U.S. near El Paso

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Homeland Security says one of the two suspected Tren de Aragua gang associates shot in Portland, Oregon entered the country near El Paso.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials say Venezuelan Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras illegally entered the U.S. in 2023. DHS says that Zambrano-Contreras was released into the country by the Biden administration. Officials say Zambrano-Contreras is associated with Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang that has had members and associates moving north into the U.S. over the past few years.

"Since illegally entering, Contreras played an active role in a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and was involved with a prior shooting in Portland," DHS said in a social media post.

Officials say that Zambrano-Contreras was in the passenger seat, and that the driver, Luis David Nico Moncada, also entered the country illegally. They say that Moncada entered the U.S. in 2022 and was also released into the country. He has since been arrested for DUI and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He had been given a final order of removal.

DHS officials say that Moncada "weaponized" his car against Border Patrol.