Venezuela agrees to resume deportation flights following Trump pressure

In a significant development, the Venezuelan government has agreed to resume accepting deportation flights from the U.S. under pressure from the Trump administration. Richard Grenell, a special envoy to President Donald Trump, announced that Venezuela, led by socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, had agreed to resume the flights after a period of refusal.

The decision comes as part of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, with ICE making thousands of arrests of illegal immigrants across the country. Some Latin American countries have refused to accept returns, but Venezuela has now agreed to cooperate.

Deportation flights to Venezuela will resume on Friday, marking a positive step in improving the administration’s deportation operation. Venezuela is home to one of the most notorious migrant gangs in the U.S., Tren de Aragua, making it a key target for deportation efforts.

John Fabbricatore, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, emphasized the importance of Venezuela’s acceptance of deportation flights in streamlining the process and reducing detention time for illegal immigrants.

During his first term, Trump imposed heavy sanctions on Venezuela’s energy business as part of a “maximum pressure” policy against Maduro’s government. These sanctions were later relaxed by President Joe Biden, leading to the recent decision to reverse concessions made to Maduro.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained that Maduro had failed to uphold his end of the bargain by not deporting violent criminals back to Venezuela as agreed. As a result, the ineffective agreement with Biden was terminated, signaling a shift in diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

The Trump administration had previously secured the release of six American citizens held by the Venezuelan government on espionage and terrorism-related charges. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has identified that nine Americans are still being held under questionable circumstances, highlighting ongoing concerns about human rights violations in the country.

Overall, the resumption of deportation flights to Venezuela marks a significant diplomatic victory for the Trump administration and a step towards addressing illegal immigration in the U.S. The decision is expected to have a positive impact on deportation efforts and the enforcement of immigration laws.