Venezuelan Gang Member Arrested in Wisconsin

The arrest of a gang-affiliated man in Wisconsin has reignited Republican criticism of immigration enforcement, with Rep. Derrick Van Orden slamming the Biden administration for allowing violent criminals to cross the border ahead of the 2024 election.

Prairie du Chien police arrested 26-year-old Alejandro Jose Coronel Zarate last week following a violent altercation. Zarate now faces multiple charges, including domestic battery, strangulation/suffocation, physical abuse of a child, and two counts of second-degree sexual assault. He also had outstanding warrants in Dane County for similar offenses, including false imprisonment. Authorities suspect Zarate of having gang ties, particularly with the violent Venezuelan gang "Tren de Aragua."

At a press conference, Prairie du Chien Police Chief Kyle Teynor expressed shock at the brutality of the incident, which has intensified concerns about crime linked to undocumented immigrants.

Representative Derrick Van Orden, whose home is less than two miles from the crime scene, seized on the arrest to criticize the Biden administration’s border enforcement policies. He pointed to Zarate’s gang tattoos, questioning how someone with such clear criminal affiliations was allowed to enter the country. “This isn’t a Harley Davidson tattoo,” Van Orden remarked, accusing the administration of failing to prevent violent criminals from crossing the border. “That is unforgivable,” he added.

Van Orden's comments align with the broader Republican strategy of focusing on immigration and border security as key issues in the upcoming election. Former President Donald Trump, running on a platform that includes deporting 20 million undocumented immigrants, has made immigration central to his campaign, and other Republican officials are similarly highlighting crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.

Earlier efforts by Republicans in Congress and the Biden administration to address record-high border crossings and streamline the asylum process fell apart when Trump intervened, advising Republicans not to compromise on the issue, as he planned to campaign on it during the 2024 election cycle.