Venezuelans were deported by the US on the same day the deadly earthquakes hit. Now their relatives want answers

Venezuelans Deported by the U.S. on Earthquake Day; Families Demand Answers

Deportation and Disaster Collide in La Guaira

Venezuelans were deported by the US – On the day of a catastrophic earthquake, over 100 Venezuelans were deported by the U.S., leaving their families in shock as the tremors struck the same region. The disaster, which devastated La Guaira, resulted in at least 1,700 fatalities and left hundreds missing. The deportees, who had recently arrived in Venezuela via a flight from Miami, were staying at Hotel Santuario when the ground violently shook, causing the building to collapse and trapping many inside. Venezuelan authorities and the ICE Flight Monitor, a tool by Human Rights First, confirmed the deportees’ arrival on Wednesday, June 30, 2026.

The group, consisting of 146 individuals including 19 women and 7 children, had been sent back to their homeland as part of a broader policy under the Trump administration. Their journey home was meant to be a new beginning, but the earthquake turned it into a tragedy. Survivors were extracted from the rubble, yet most of the deportees’ fates remain unknown. Families, who had just reunited with loved ones, now face the anguish of uncertainty, with relatives scrambling for information about their missing relatives.

Voices of Grief and Frustration

Luis Armando Dasilva, a relative of Amanda Donizete, one of the deportees, voiced his frustration over the lack of clarity. “They are not giving us answers about where she is. If she is in a hospital or morgue, we need to know,” he told CNN. His sister had fled Venezuela’s worsening crisis to work in Georgia, USA, and returned home with hope. “She was eager to see her family again,” Dasilva said, reflecting on her emotional return.

“Since Friday, we’ve been waiting for the authorities to hand over the bodies,” said an unnamed woman, describing her husband’s experience. “They claim there’s no life left, but we need to confirm.” Her husband had been detained by ICE for 15 days before being deported, where he had spent three years trying to rebuild his life.

Other families echoed similar despair. José Gregorio Rincón Ávila, a grandfather whose loved one was among the deportees, pleaded for help. “Please, let us take our loved ones home,” he implored, as he waited for the bodies to be recovered. The emotional weight of the timing—deportations on the same day as the disaster—has deepened the crisis, with relatives now demanding transparency from U.S. officials.

Deportation Policy Amid Humanitarian Crisis

Venezuelans were deported by the U.S. as part of a policy shift that ended Temporary Protected Status for 300,000 individuals in October 2023. Since then, hundreds have been sent back weekly, with ICE Flight Monitor data showing 1,746 deportations in May alone. The recent earthquake has intensified scrutiny of this policy, as families question whether the U.S. considered the risks before sending deportees home.

Yulis Salcedo, a mother of 21-year-old Anderson, recounted the emotional return of her son after being deported. “He called me at 5 p.m. and said, ‘I love you so much, Mom. See you tomorrow at home,’” Salcedo shared with Reuters. But her joy was short-lived when the hotel’s collapse left Anderson injured, requiring respiratory support and amputation of both legs. “I want justice because it’s not fair that my son is lying in a hospital bed at 21,” she said, highlighting the human cost of the deportations.

As search and rescue teams work in Venezuela, families continue to push for updates. The U.S. has deployed teams and allocated $300 million for relief efforts, yet the timing of the deportations has raised concerns about preparedness. For now, the focus remains on finding answers and ensuring the families of the deportees receive the support they desperately need.