An alleged Venezuelan unlawful immigrant, believed to be linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, has been charged following a confrontation with U.S. Border Patrol brokers in Portland, Oregon. The person was reportedly shot by brokers after trying to make use of a car to ram into them.
The Justice Division introduced on Monday that Luis Nino Moncada faces expenses of aggravated assault in opposition to a federal officer with a lethal weapon. This was revealed in a lately unsealed federal criticism.
Legal professional Common Pam Bondi emphasised the seriousness of the fees on social media platform X, stating, “Anybody who crosses the road of assaulting regulation enforcement will face the total energy of this Justice Division.” She added, “The criticism alleges that Luis Nino-Moncada, an unlawful alien in Portland with connections to Tren de Aragua, repeatedly rammed a Border Patrol car, endangering the lives of federal officers.”
In response to the Division of Homeland Safety, Luis David Nino Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, each recognized as Venezuelan felony unlawful aliens and suspected members of the Tren de Aragua, had been concerned in a violent encounter on January 8, 2026. The pair had been shot by a Border Patrol agent after allegedly making an attempt to run over the officer and others.
Legal professional Common Bondi additional remarked, “He ought to NEVER have been in our nation within the first place, and we are going to guarantee he NEVER walks free in America once more.”
Federal prosecutors declare that Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras, each suspected gang associates, had been touring in a Toyota Tacoma on January 8 when U.S. Border Patrol brokers tried to provoke a visitors cease.
The brokers had been concentrating on Zambrano-Contreras for arrest.
Moncada, who was driving the car, entered america illegally in 2022, and was launched into the nation by the Biden administration. He has a earlier arrest for driving underneath the affect and unauthorized use of a car, authorities stated, and was the topic of a remaining order of removing.
Zambrano-Contreras, the passenger, additionally entered the U.S. illegally within the El Paso, Texas, space in 2023. She performed an “lively position in a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring” and was beforehand concerned in a July 2025 taking pictures stemming from a foul prostitution deal, authorities stated.
On the time of the visitors cease, federal brokers ordered them to exit the car, which they refused, prosecutors stated.
A broken Border Patrol car that was allegedly struck by Luis Moncada throughout an tried arrest, authorities stated. (Justice Division)
As a substitute, Moncada put the automobile in reverse and hit an unoccupied Border Patrol car “with sufficient velocity and pressure to trigger vital harm,” the criticism states. He then allegedly moved the automobile ahead and reverse a number of occasions, placing the USBP car a number of occasions, prosecutors stated.
Fearing that Moncada would strike the brokers, a Border Patrol agent opened fireplace at Moncada earlier than he drove off and fled the scene, prosecutors allege. He and Zambrano-Contreras had been struck by gunfire.
Moncada allegedly parked the automobile in an house complicated and referred to as 911. When responding regulation enforcement officers arrived and positioned a tourniquet on him, he allegedly stated f— ICE.”
Luis Moncada is accused of making an attempt to ram his car right into a black U.S. Border Patrol automobile throughout an tried arrest in Portland. (Justice Division )
Each he and Zambrano-Contreras had been taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds, authorities stated.
Throughout questioning, Moncada allegedly admitted to deliberately ramming his automobile into the Border Patrol car in an try to flee.
Police in riot gear face protesters outdoors an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Thursday night time, Jan. 8, 2026, in Portland, Oregon, as demonstrations erupted hours after a taking pictures involving a federal immigration agent. (AP Picture/Jenny Kane)
There was no body-worn digicam footage from the six Border Patrol brokers concerned within the incident, the Justice Division stated. Efforts to search out footage of what occurred on social media and thru surveillance cameras have been unsuccessful.
The taking pictures occurred the identical week anti-ICE protester Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot in Minneapolis by a federal agent whereas making an attempt to allegedly ram him together with his car.
The Trump administration has stated Good was obstructing immigration enforcement operations and tried to run over an ICE agent who fired in self-defense. Good was pronounced lifeless on the scene.
Oregon officers condemned the taking pictures in Portland, with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, claiming it was “instigated by the reckless agenda of the Trump administration.”
Renee Nicole Good moments earlier than she was shot and killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis. (Obtained by Fox Information)
Each shootings have prompted anti-ICE protests throughout the nation and robust condemnations by many main Democrats.
