U.S. President Donald Trump has made deportations and reducing immigration one of his key priorities. Photo: White House, Shealah Craighead.
Guacamaya, February 1, 2025. This Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Venezuela has agreed to receive illegal migrants captured in U.S. territory, including members of the mega-criminal gang Tren de Aragua. This announcement followed the visit of Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, to Caracas, where he met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
“Venezuela has agreed to take back all illegal Venezuelan foreigners who were camped in the U.S., including the Tren de Aragua gang members,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The president also mentioned that Venezuela has committed to facilitating transportation.
The situation of Venezuelan migrants in the United States has been a highly relevant issue recently, especially after Trump’s decision to revoke the extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans. Venezuelan opposition groups and human rights organizations, such as Provea, have urged the U.S. to maintain TPS or create another protection mechanism for migrants.
Release of Detained Americans
“We are home. God bless these Americans.” These were the words of U.S. Presidential Envoy for Special Missions Richard Grenell upon arriving in the U.S. with six American citizens who were released on the night of January 31, 2025, in Venezuela, as part of the outcomes of his visit to the Caribbean nation.
Earlier, Donald Trump had celebrated the release of these citizens after being informed that they would return on the same plane as Grenell. Although the six men were not identified, they were dressed in light blue uniforms used by the Venezuelan prison system.
To date, it is not known exactly how many Americans were detained in Venezuela, although according to the Miami-based organization Independent Venezuelan American Citizens (IVAC), there are eight U.S. citizens imprisoned in Venezuela, most since 2024. However, Venezuelan authorities have publicly mentioned at least nine, according to Reuters.
Implications of the Meeting
The meeting between Trump’s special envoy and Maduro marks a new chapter in relations between the two countries, with significant implications for Venezuelan migrants and Venezuela’s internal politics. In this sense, Venezuela’s acceptance of illegal migrants could be seen as an attempt by Maduro to improve relations with the United States, while the release of detained Americans could be interpreted as a gesture of goodwill.
Nevertheless, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that Grenell’s visit to Venezuela does not mean the U.S. recognizes Maduro’s legitimacy as president. Previously, the Trump administration had stated that the main objectives of Grenell’s trip were to secure the release of detained Americans and facilitate the deportation of Venezuelans to their country.
For his part, Maduro mentioned that initial agreements have been reached and that, once fulfilled, new topics and potential agreements benefiting both countries and the region will be opened. “President Donald Trump, we have taken a first step, we hope it continues,” Maduro stated. Additionally, the Venezuelan government reported in a statement that Maduro and Grenell discussed migration and sanctions at the presidential palace on Friday.
(With information from Reuters, EFE, and AFP)
