Aurora, Colo. Mayor Mike Coffman said former President Trump’s claims about the town were “grossly exaggerated” as the GOP presidential nominee looks to hold a rally in the state after calling the suburb a “war zone” due to migrants.
“Former President Trump’s visit to Aurora is an opportunity to show him and the nation that Aurora is a considerably safe city – not a city overrun by Venezuelan gangs,” Coffman said in a statement. “My public offer to show him our community and meet with our police chief for a briefing still stands.”
Trump is set to visit Aurora on Friday and hold a rally. In a release, his campaign focused on migrants that have brought “chaos and fear” to the city.
Coffman, and other Colorado lawmakers, have denied the conspiracies and have sought to show that Aurora is a normal American city.
“The reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity have been grossly exaggerated. The incidents were limited to several apartment complexes in this city of more than 400,000 residents,” his statement said.
Aurora has become one of several cities under the immigration spotlight after Trump spread false claims about the migrant population.
During last month’s presidential debate with Vice President Harris, the former president mentioned conspiracy theories about immigrant gangs in Aurora. He later said at a rally that “Venezuelan gangs have taken over entire apartment buildings” in the town.
Springfield, Ohio, has also experienced fallout since the former president made false claims about migrants eating people’s pets.
The Colorado city was a focus after a video featured men carrying automatic weapons in an apartment complex was shared online. Local police said some gang members had been arrested but denied that an apartment building was taken over.
The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
