The United States resumed deportation flights to Venezuela this week, returning more than 100 migrants after devastating earthquakes killed more than 6,000 people in June.
A flight carrying 147 Venezuelan nationals arrived Monday at General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport in Barcelona, Venezuela, marking the first large deportation flight since the disaster.
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“The General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport in the city of Barcelona received them with dignity, following all necessary protocols to ensure a happy reunion in our nation,” Venezuelan authorities said in a social media post.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to discuss future deportation operations.
“For operational security reasons, we would not confirm future removal operations,” the agency told the Washington Examiner.
After U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas in January, Venezuela’s interim government agreed under U.S. pressure to significantly expand deportation flights from the U.S., accepting up to three flights each week.
The agreement came after the Trump administration ended protections, including temporary protected status and humanitarian parole for many Venezuelans, leaving hundreds of thousands vulnerable to detention and deportation. Many had fled Venezuela’s economic collapse and political repression, undertaking dangerous journeys to reach the U.S. southern border.
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Then, on Jun. 24, 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela, flattening buildings and devastating the local infrastructure. Hours before the earthquakes hit the country, more than 100 Venezuelan immigrants arrived from Miami and were transferred to a hotel. The hotel collapsed during the back-to-back quakes, trapping the immigrants.
The U.S. and Venezuela did not release a passenger list, official death toll, or a list of survivors from that flight after the incident.
