Deportations of Venezuelan Immigrants Resume After Maduro’s Arrest
WASHINGTON — The deportation of Venezuelan immigrants who entered the United States illegally has restarted, following a pre-dawn operation aimed at capturing the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, during a mission dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve.
Last week, the Trump administration organized a flight via Eastern Airlines, transporting over 200 Venezuelan migrants from Phoenix back to Caracas.
This marked the first known deportation flight to Caracas since December 10, 2025, and, interestingly, these flights had previously occurred every Wednesday and Friday, as noted by the watchdog group Human Rights First.
In December, Venezuela asserted that the U.S. had halted deportation flights, a statement the Trump administration promptly denied, leading to some confusion regarding the flights.
Reports indicate that between 199 and 231 Venezuelan migrants were sent on these deportation flights, though the exact number remains somewhat unclear.
Upon landing after a six-hour flight, the migrants were escorted off the plane, and some were seen blowing kisses and making hand gestures as they arrived back in Venezuela.
President Trump acknowledged that the U.S. military had delayed plans to capture Maduro for several days due to concerns about the weather before proceeding with the operation.
Following Maduro’s apprehension, the Trump administration maintained its strategy of quarantining Venezuelan oil as a way to influence compliance from figures like Delcy Rodriguez.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the oil quarantines on ABC News’ “This Week,” emphasizing the administration’s commitment to leverage this situation, stating, “We have already started using it.” He also mentioned that the current system would remain in place until the powers in Venezuela made changes beneficial for both Venezuelans and the U.S.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both captured during the operation, faced court proceedings on January 5, pleading not guilty to charges related to drug terrorism.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed that deportation flights were not paused after Maduro’s detention, aiming to clarify the situation amid ongoing discussions.
