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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Disasters & Emergencies

Venezuelan families in US fear deportation amid earthquake crisis

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Venezuelan families in the U.S. fear deportation due to the humanitarian crisis caused by recent earthquakes in their home country.
  • Concerns grew as U.S. immigration procedures continued even after the June 24 earthquakes, which caused over 2,500 deaths and widespread damage.
  • One mother described a harrowing 36-hour journey involving a transfer between detention centers and a flight that was rerouted, highlighting the distress of migrants facing a homeland in crisis.

Venezuelan families residing in the United States are expressing deep anxiety about potential deportations, fearing a return to a country devastated by recent earthquakes. The humanitarian crisis triggered by the tremors on June 24 has left thousands dead, injured, or missing, and has severely damaged infrastructure, including the main international airport.

Surprised because they came to stop me around 1:20 in the morning, after the earthquake happened. Since I knew what was happening in Venezuela, I never expected them to take me out like this. And they made us travel and travel for about 10 hours.

— Venezuelan motherDescribing the unexpected notification of her deportation shortly after the earthquakes.

Despite the unfolding disaster in Venezuela, U.S. immigration procedures have reportedly continued. One mother recounted being notified of her deportation in the early morning hours, shortly after learning about the earthquakes. She and her two young children were subjected to a lengthy journey, initially involving a 10-hour drive from Texas to Arizona, followed by indications they would be flown to Venezuela.

However, after 36 hours of consecutive travel, the family was returned to the Dilley Detention Center in Texas. This ordeal heightened the distress of detainees, especially after reports emerged of a group of 146 Venezuelan migrants deported just before the earthquakes. These individuals were housed in a building in La Guaira that subsequently collapsed due to the tremors, reportedly killing over 100 repatriated individuals.

My family was desperate because they didn't know anything about me.

— Venezuelan motherExpressing the anxiety of her family back home during her detention and travel.

Amidst this perilous context, the mother shared the uncertainty and fear experienced during the U.S. border operation, with her family desperately trying to ascertain her whereabouts. Her children were particularly afraid of entering a country in a state of emergency. In response to these dangers, several non-governmental organizations have formally requested that the U.S. government grant temporary protection measures to Venezuelan citizens.

My children were afraid to enter a country in full emergency.

— Venezuelan motherHighlighting her children's fear of returning to Venezuela amidst the earthquake crisis.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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