Trump Administration Begins Repatriation Flights of Venezuelans Who Were Illegally in the U.S.
Within about three weeks of being in office, the Trump administration has initiated repatriation flights of Venezuelans who were illegally in the U.S. The administration also negotiated for Venezuela to cover the costs of their return.
Richard Grenell, President Donald Trump’s envoy for special missions, announced that two planes left El Paso, Texas, for Venezuela, with the expenses being covered by the Venezuelans themselves.
The White House shared on social media that “Repatriation flights to Venezuela have resumed, with Ambassador Richard Grenell overseeing the first two flights.”
Following a diplomatic mission to Venezuela on Jan. 31, Grenell revealed that Venezuela’s president had agreed to take back all the illegal immigrants in the U.S. from Venezuela and bear the financial responsibility for it.
Policy Reversal from Biden Administration
The repatriation flights and agreement from Venezuela mark a significant policy reversal from the Biden administration, which did not engage in negotiations with countries that refused to repatriate their own citizens, including Venezuela. The deportation process is dependent on diplomatic relations, citizenship confirmation, visa procedures, and documentation processing for the return of citizens, even those sought by foreign authorities for criminal activities.
Under the Biden administration, over 1 million Venezuelans illegally entered the U.S., including violent members of Tren de Aragua (TdA) who operated in at least 22 states. TdA members are notorious for engaging in extreme acts of violence, including murder, kidnapping, human and drug trafficking.
Instead of facilitating their removal, the Biden administration granted many Venezuelans temporary protective status or enrolled them in parole programs, actions that were deemed illegal by federal judges and criticized by Republicans in Congress.
Trump Administration’s Actions
Upon assuming office, President Trump revoked the Biden administration’s orders, including the parole program and temporary protective status for Venezuelans. He also designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization, declared an invasion and national emergency at the southern border, and directed the U.S. military to participate in border security efforts.
By Feb. 4, the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense had transported 10 high-threat confirmed TdA members to Guantanamo Bay, with more expected to follow before repatriation to Venezuela.
Now, the process of sending back these individuals to Venezuela at the expense of the Venezuelan government is underway.
This new approach represents a departure from previous policies and signals a shift in how the U.S. handles illegal immigrants from Venezuela.
