EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Two flights carrying Venezuelan migrants back to Venezuela left from Fort Bliss on Monday morning, Feb. 10 and will arrive back in their home country later Monday, the New York Times reported.
The Venezuelan government also issued a statement confirming that two planes from its airline, Conviasa, are en route back to Venezuela, returning migrants back to their home country.
“The flights are a major victory for the Trump administration, which made a campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented migrants. To accomplish this goal, President Trump needs Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s autocratic president, to agree to accept some of those people,” the New York Times wrote.
Two planes owned by the Venezuelan airline Conviasa left Fort Bliss, where migrants subject to deportation are being held, Monday morning, the New York Times said. The flights left around 8 a.m., according to FlightAware.
It is not clear who is on the Monday flights, and some returnees could face persecution upon return, the New York Times reported.
The Venezuelan government said that it had been “notified by the government of the United States of America” that some of the people on the flights were part of criminal group called the Tren de Aragua.
The statement said “the aforementioned individuals will be subject to a rigorous investigation as soon as they touch Venezuelan soil and will be subject to the actions provided for in our justice system.”
As we have reported previously, the Trump Administration has used Fort Bliss for deportation flights since taking office three weeks ago.
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