Suspects Who Hit CBP Agent With Automotive Are Unlawful Gang Associates
Two suspects shot for “weaponizing” their vehicle against a Portland-based Border Patrol agent are affiliates of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The revelation came late Thursday after news emerged of a shooting involving U.S. immigration officials in Portland, Oregon. Initial reporting indicated that two individuals were shot in the incident.
When details of the case finally emerged, it clearly was not what Democrats — who had already rushed to falsely blame the immigration officials — were expecting.
According to DHS, Border Patrol officials were conducting a “targeted vehicle stop” in Portland. The agency said that upon identifying themselves to the driver and passenger, “the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents.”
The aggressive maneuver reportedly prompted an agent — who DHS said “fear[ed] for his life and safety” — to open fire on the vehicle. The driver then allegedly “drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene.”
DHS further revealed that the two suspects — later identified as Luis David Nico Moncada (driver) and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras (passenger) — are Venezuelan nationals released into the United States by the Biden administration and associated with the transnational gang Tren de Aragua. While Moncada is a suspected Tren de Aragua member who has a final order for removal and was “arrested for DUI and unauthorized use of a vehicle,” Zambrano-Contreras “played an active role in a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and was involved with a prior shooting in Portland,” according to the agency.
Both suspects have since been hospitalized and will be taken into federal custody upon release, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed on Friday.
[READ: We Need A J6-Level Manhunt For Everyone Who Obstructs Immigration Law Enforcement]
The incident came a day after another apparent attack on U.S. immigration officials in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
While conducting immigration enforcement in the city, a woman used her vehicle to interfere with such operations. After refusing to comply with ICE agents, the suspect then accelerated her car toward (and hit) an agent, prompting him to fire on her in self-defense. The woman — who has since been identified as an anti-ICE activist — died as a result.
Much like with the Portland case, leftists immediately used the incident to attack ICE and incite further violence against officials seeking to enforce existing immigration laws. This includes members of America’s propaganda press, who have attempted to whitewash the fact that the suspect hit the aforementioned ICE agent with her vehicle prior to shots being fired.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood