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Venezuela has agreed to take back all undocumented Venezuelan migrants detained in the U.S. and will cover their transportation costs, according to former President Donald Trump.
The announcement came after a meeting between President Nicolás Maduro and a senior Trump administration official, Richard Grenell, that led to the release of six US detainees held in Venezuela.
“Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua,” Trump wrote. “Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back.”
Venezuela has not confirmed the terms of the deal. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier on Friday that Grenell’s visit did not mean US recognition of Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
Trump announced on Truth Social that the agreement includes the return of gang members from Tren de Aragua. Venezuela has not yet responded to requests for confirmation.
The announcement came after U.S. envoy Richard Grenell met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. Following their meeting, Venezuela released six American hostages who have since returned to the U.S.
This decision follows Trump’s recent threats of sanctions against Colombia for refusing deportation flights. Colombia later reversed its stance and accepted the migrants. Trump, who campaigned on strict immigration policies, has issued executive orders to accelerate deportations.
Donald Trump’s stance on Venezuelan immigrants has completely shifted over the last four years. Before leaving office in 2021, he signed an executive order protecting them from deportation.
However, this week, his Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, signed an order ending the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for about 600,000 Venezuelans. The Biden administration had granted this extension before Trump’s return to office, and the decision may now face legal challenges.
“There will surely be a lawsuit against the decision because there are very strong arguments that prevent Trump from undoing what his predecessor already did,” said Matt Adams, legal director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.
He emphasized that Venezuelans with TPS have strong legal grounds to stay with their work permits. Trump previously tried to end TPS for countries like El Salvador, Haiti, and Sudan, but courts blocked his efforts.
Thousands of the 600,000 Venezuelans who have TPS also have asylum applications accepted by immigration authorities that guarantee them legal status in the United States.
However, the current round of deportations appears to be aimed at the undocumented and not directly at TPS recipients.
Sources: Reuters, BBC.
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