U.S. Deports 152 Venezuelans Amid Crackdown and TPS Rollback
Venezuela welcomes 152 deported nationals from the U.S. amid TPS rollback and rising expulsions. Authorities denounce mistreatment and reaffirm support for returnees.
Venezuelan nationals disembark at Simón Bolívar International Photo: @infobaevzla
June 12, 2025 Hour: 6:49 am
A total of 152 Venezuelans deported from the United States arrived in Caracas on Wednesday, as Washington intensifies deportations and ends Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of migrants.
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The returnees —138 men and 14 women— landed at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía aboard the 32nd repatriation flight operated by Venezuelan state airline Conviasa. The aircraft made a scheduled stopover in Honduras before completing its route. The operation is part of the Venezuelan government’s “Gran Misión Vuelta a la Patria” (Return to the Homeland Mission), a program that facilitates the safe return of nationals from abroad.
With this latest group, the number of Venezuelan migrants repatriated in 2025 now exceeds 5,600, reflecting a sharp rise in removals linked to increasingly restrictive U.S. migration policies under President Donald Trump.
On May 19, the U.S. Supreme Court approved the termination of TPS for Venezuelans—a humanitarian status granted in response to Venezuela’s crisis. The Trump administration went further, invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans over the age of 14. Many were expelled without trial after being labeled as suspected gang members.
Human rights groups have denounced an alleged agreement between the Trump administration and the Salvadoran government that resulted in the detention of more than 250 Venezuelans in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador in March. The individuals were held without formal charges or access to due process, in what observers describe as a violation of international norms.
During his weekly broadcast, President Nicolás Maduro condemned the treatment of deported migrants. “One young man was imprisoned for an entire year,” Maduro stated. “What was his crime? None. The American dream turned into a tragedy.”
Interior Minister Admiral Remigio Ceballos confirmed that the returnees underwent health screenings and identity verification procedures upon arrival. Once cleared, they are granted full freedom of movement within the country.
This marks the second phase of direct deportation flights from the United States to Venezuela since late 2023. These operations have been permitted under a temporary waiver by the U.S. Department of Transportation and follow renewed dialogue between the Maduro government and opposition sectors. These political talks have also led to the partial suspension of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela’s oil, gas, and gold industries.
The Venezuelan government maintains that unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington are a major driver of migration, having devastated key sectors of the national economy. Critics of the government, however, point to long-standing structural issues, corruption, and mismanagement as the root causes of the country’s economic collapse and mass exodus.
Despite holding the world’s largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela has seen a dramatic decline in crude production over the last decade, resulting in fuel shortages, soaring inflation, and widespread poverty. These conditions have forced millions of Venezuelans to seek refuge abroad—many now facing detention, criminalization, and forced repatriation.
As deportation flights continue, many returnees now face the difficult task of rebuilding their lives in a country still grappling with economic hardship, sanctions, and political uncertainty.
Author: MK
Source: AP, TeleSUR
