For thousands of Venezuelans hoping to reach the U.S.-Mexico border, recent news that Washington has decided to turn back those who have resided in Colombia is only the most recent sign that the path to the United States is disappearing.
The Department of Homeland Security has started returning Venezuelans who had previously resided there via removal flights. Federal authorities are undertaking the effort citing Title 42, a public-health order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the U.S. government has used to turn away migrants at the U.S. border during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those seeking asylum.
DHS confirmed in a statement that on Jan. 27 it returned two Venezuelan nationals back to Colombia, where they had previously lived. The South American nation agreed to receive the flights following several weeks of discussions, a Biden administration official said. The flights, which will be run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are expected to take place on a regular basis.
