US deportation flights to Venezuela resume following weeks-long standoff
Deportation flights to Venezuela resumed on Sunday after a weeks-long standoff between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, signaling a deal had been reached between the two countries.
A flight carrying 199 illegal aliens – including members of the violent Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang – to Venezuela landed Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The Trump administration has vowed to strike a deal with the Venezuelan government to accept flights carrying deportees from the United States, but has been limited in the regularity of the transfers after President Nicholás Maduro halted the flights earlier this month – with only four flights being received by the Venezuelan government since Trump was sworn into office.
VENEZUELA TO RESUME ACCEPTING US DEPORTATION FLIGHTS
Maduro refused to receive the flights after Trump announced that the U.S. would terminate the Biden-era permit allowing Chevron to export Venezuelan oil, effectively closing off a major revenue source for the country.
However, Venezuelan officials have confirmed that a deal was reached on Saturday.
"Venezuela reports that, within the framework of the Return to the Homeland Plan and with the goal of returning our compatriots to their nation with the safeguarding of their human rights, we have agreed with the U.S. government to resume the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants with an initial flight tomorrow, Sunday, March 23," Jorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela's Assembly and chief negotiator with the U.S., said in a statement posted to X by the network Telesur.
Flight-tracking data shows a plane operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) departed El Paso and was scheduled to land at Soto Cano air base in Honduras Sunday afternoon. A second plane operated by Venezuelan state airline Conviasa was set to land at the air base within an hour of ICE's arrival, seemingly for a handoff between officials.
The deal comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed that Venezuela would face "severe, and escalating sanctions" if the country continued to refuse to accept its citizens that had faced deportation.
"Venezuela is obligated to accept its repatriated citizens from the U.S. This is not an issue for debate or negotiation," Rubio posted to X. "Nor does it merit any reward. Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights, without further excuses or delays, the U.S. will impose new, severe, and escalating sanctions."
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
In recent weeks, approximately 350 migrants have been deported to Venezuela, including roughly 180 individuals who had been detained at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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Last week, the Trump administration flew over 200 Venezuelan migrants to a high-security prison in El Salvador in coordination with President Nayib Bukele, despite a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking the deportations.
"Migrating is not a crime, and we will not rest until we achieve the return of all those who require it and until we rescue our brothers kidnapped in El Salvador," Rodríguez said.
Madura also went on to denounce the flights, referring to the Venezuelans being detained in El Salvador as "kidnapped" on Saturday.
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In an interview with Fox News Radio, Rubio thanked Bukele for his country’s acceptance of the migrants.
"Venezuela should be taking them, but they refuse to take them," Rubio said. "And so, we are fortunate to have a friend like President Bukele who, as part of my meeting with him, said we will take them for a fraction of what it costs you guys to house them in your own prison system."
Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.