The Biden administration flew more than 100 Venezuelans back to their authoritarian socialist homeland on Wednesday as deportation flights to the troubled country resumed for the first time in years.
The Department of Homeland Security announced earlier this month that it would resume direct repatriations to Venezuela in an effort to prevent illegal crossings after Venezuelan authorities’ decision to accept the return of Venezuelan nationals.
“This flight to Venezuela is the first I’ve seen in my career of an entire charter flight of Venezuelans returning to their country,” Corey Price, acting executive associate director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the Associated Press.
“And we plan to have a few more in the coming days and weeks,” he added.
About 130 Venezuelans were on Wednesday’s flight. AFP via Getty Images The migrant was wearing wrist and ankle restraints on the flight chartered by the US government. AFP via Getty Images
About 130 migrants on Wednesday’s first flight boarded ICE Air, a Boeing 737 jet chartered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that departed from the Texas border town of Harlingen and stopped in Miami before continuing on to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
All passengers on the first flight had entered the US illegally between gates, according to the US Border Patrol, and were wearing wrist and ankle restraints and patted down as they boarded the jet.
ICE prioritizes recent arrivals and immigrants who have committed crimes while in the US for early deportation flights.
About 200,000 Venezuelans crossed the southwestern border illegally in the last 11 months, according to Customs and Border Protection data. AFP via Getty Images
Nearly half a million Venezuelans have crossed the southwestern border illegally since President Biden took office — with the spike peaking at more than 34,000 arrests in April and more than 31,000 stops recorded in August, the most recent month for which data is available.
About 200,000 Venezuelans crossed the southwestern border illegally in the latest 11 months of Customs and Border Protection data, making up about 9% of all such transits.
Last month, Biden, 80, extended temporary protected status to about 472,000 Venezuelan immigrants who arrived in the US on July 31 this year, which gives the cohort protection from deportation and the right to live and work legally in America because of their homes. state dysfunction.
“Venezuelan citizens who are not applying for TPS and have deportation orders could be affected,” Rachel Leon, an immigration attorney in Florida, told the AP. “Those who are eligible for TPS should apply as soon as possible to avoid facing deportation.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
