Trump officials make plans to revoke legal status of migrants welcomed under Biden
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Trump Says Venezuela Agreed to Accept Deported Migrants
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Above: Immigrants from Venezuela walk towards a US Border Patrol transit center after crossing the Rio Grande on Jan. 8, 2024. Image copyright: John Moore/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres. Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela has agreed to receive and provide transportation for all Venezuela "illegal aliens" in the US back to the Latin American nation — including gang members of the Tren de Aragua.
This comes as Richard Grenell, Trump's envoy for special missions, visited Venezuela on Friday to persuade Pres. Nicolás Maduro to accept the return of deported migrants.
Grenell also secured the release of six American citizens detained in Venezuela and returned with them on Friday. At least three other US nationals or residents are believed to remain imprisoned in Venezuela.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Trump has betrayed Venezuelan exiles in America for the second time in a week. He revoked deportation protections to tackle a 0.1% that may be gang members and deployed a senior official to negotiate with Maduro in a move that legitimizes his fraudulent reelection — quite a U-turn for people who criticized Biden over talks to ensure elections last year.
Republican narrative
Trump is always one step ahead — and this agreement means he is about to kill two birds with a stone. At home, the return of Venezuelans will help resolve the immigration crisis, reducing costs and increasing wages. Abroad, this move further pressures the Maduro dictatorship and reduces remittances to Venezuela.
Narrative C
This is a volatile situation for Venezuela. Trump has promised to put America First, and that's what he's doing. Whether Venezuela's democracy is eroding or not, this issue means little to the 47th president for now. The Trump administration first wants to solve the immigration crisis in the US, and oil prices are likely to follow. But what this gambit means for Venezuela and the region is far from clear.
