A suspected member of the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua is facing serious criminal charges after allegedly ramming his car repeatedly into a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle during a traffic stop in Portland last week.
Luis David Nino-Moncada, who was previously deported in 2024, has been charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property in excess of $1,000, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Department of Justice.
The incident occurred while Border Patrol agents were attempting to arrest a woman associated with Nino-Moncada, Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, who DHS says is linked to a Tren De Aragua prostitution ring. Zambrano-Contreras had previously been caught and released at the Texas border in 2024 under the Biden administration.
According to the criminal complaint, Nino-Moncada was driving the vehicle with Zambrano-Contreras in the passenger seat when federal agents stopped them and ordered them to exit. Rather than comply, Nino-Moncada reversed the vehicle, striking the patrol car “with enough speed and force to cause significant damage.” He then continued moving the car forward and backward, hitting the Border Patrol vehicle multiple times.
A Border Patrol agent described fearing for his safety and the safety of fellow agents during the confrontation. Fearing imminent harm, one agent opened fire on Nino-Moncada’s vehicle. Both suspects were later hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
While receiving medical treatment, Nino-Moncada reportedly told FBI agents that he intentionally rammed the Border Patrol vehicle and was aware it belonged to immigration enforcement officers. The criminal complaint states:
“In the interview, LUIS NINO MONCADA admitted to intentionally ramming the Border Patrol vehicle in an attempt to flee, and he stated that he knew they were immigration enforcement vehicles.”
The DOJ also reported that Nino-Moncada later called 911 from a nearby apartment complex seeking medical help. While receiving aid, he allegedly shouted, “F*ck ICE.”
Photos from the scene show significant damage to the Border Patrol vehicle, including a torn-off front bumper, smashed headlights, and dents on the driver-side door panel.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned the assault, stating:
“Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department. This man — an illegal alien with ties to a foreign terrorist organization — should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again.”
The pursuit of Zambrano-Contreras was triggered because she failed to check in with ICE officers as required, initiating a warrant for her arrest. The DOJ also connected her to a previous shooting over a prostitution-related dispute.
The Portland incident has sparked criticism from local Democrats. Mayor Keith Wilson described Border Patrol agents as “reckless” and “militarized,” while Governor Tina Kotek said federal agents “are hurting people and they are destroying day by day what we hold dear.”
This case follows similar violent confrontations with ICE agents in other cities. In Minneapolis, Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed after refusing to exit her vehicle and driving toward an ICE agent, sparking anti-ICE protests nationwide.
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