Silent expulsion of Venezuelan migrants from the United States

The Biden government began deporting Venezuelan migrants, without allowing them to apply for asylum after entering the country through the southern border.

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), assured that the US government began the process of deporting Venezuelans to Colombia, in case they have previously lived in that country.

This measure has been taken since the growing immigration of Venezuelans across the country's southern border began. Sending citizens to Colombia is because doing it directly to Venezuela is impossible, due to the rupture of diplomatic relations between Washington and Venezuela.

The number of Venezuelans at the border has been increasing, after the Mexican government decided to require visas for citizens of that nationality, starting in January. Likewise, the DHS decided to do the same, after discussions with the Colombian government.

In December, a meeting was held at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the chances of receiving deported Venezuelan citizens who already had temporary residence in Colombian territory.

However, until now the approximate number of citizens who will be deported has not been handled. Both parties reached an agreement that it will be carried out in a coordinated manner, complying with biosafety regulations to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Colombian Foreign Ministry assured that no agreement has been reached on the amount, nor on the date, since the talks between Colombia and the United States are still in their preliminary stage.

title 42

The Biden administration uses the public health order, known as Title 42, as justification. One of the things that prevents people from applying for asylum is the excuse of the protection of the omicron and delta variants.

The Cable News Network (CNN) news network points out that on many occasions the White House has addressed the future of politics to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

From Title 42, the authorities are allowed to deport migrants who are at the southern border of the United States. This fact prevents asylum seekers from presenting the required petition, thus diverting the protocol.

This measure began to be implemented at the beginning of the pandemic.

Sharon Single, a lawyer for the US Department of Justice, commented that, in compliance with Title 42, non-US citizens can be deported, upon detection, and in this way the risk of the spread of diseases will be reduced.

Deportations to Colombia

For the United States, the flights in which Venezuelans are deported are a great effort. However, this is one way to stem the flow of migrants, including those at the border and those seeking asylum.

The DHS was in charge last Thursday of returning two Venezuelans to Colombia, after their illegal entry into the country from Mexico. These two people arrived in Colombian territory on a commercial flight.

The agency assured that they guarantee the arrival of processed migrants in a humane and safe manner. He added that the trips will be made on a regular basis. This measure will be for Venezuelans who have previously lived in Colombia.

Venezuelans in Colombia

The Colombian government provided a temporary permit to Venezuelans residing in the country, so that they could work legally.

People who decided to request protection in the United States will be expelled from the country, without the possibility of obtaining asylum.

Those people who can prove that they lived in Colombia and have a valid passport, may be received in said territory.

pronouncements

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) specialized in offer humanitarian services to asylum seekers, does not agree with the measure taken.

Its director of immigration affairs, Olga Byrne, reported in a statement that, "despite the commitments announced by the United States administration in the first 100 days, harmful policies such as Title 42 remain in force more than a year after assuming The charge".

Title 42 prohibits applicants from carrying out the process, and therefore, they are returned to dangerous conditions, worse or similar to those from which they have escaped. Colombia is one of those places, which has welcomed Venezuelan asylum seekers, Byrne added.

For a long time, the United States has done certain things to prevent the entry of migrants through the southern border of the country.

Last year, former President Trump detained migrants under Title 42 and sent them into the interior of Mexico.

Colombia denies agreement with the US

Marta Lucía Ramírez, Vice President of Colombia, denied in an interview that the country had signed an agreement with the US for the deportation of Venezuelans. However, he assured that there is the possibility of the return of some nationals, who have entered the United States illegally.

He explained that the file of Venezuelans who enter Colombia as a result of deportation will be studied individually.

The second nationality with the most migrants crossing the border illegally is the Venezuelan, after the Mexicans. On approximately 21,000 occasions, US authorities caught Venezuelans trying to cross the border in December.

This figure was higher than the 200 of the previous year, and more than double from three months ago.