The White House defended this Tuesday the controversy deportation to Colombia of Venezuelan migrants and assured that he hopes to carry out these types of returns “on a regular basis” from now on.
In his daily press conference, the US government spokesperson Jen Psaki, confirmed that Venezuelans who had resided in that country “began to be repatriated” to Colombia and that “They attempted to enter the United States irregularly.”
“What we are trying to do is ensure that Venezuelans who came from a third country (Colombia), return to that country“said the press secretary, who added that there will be more such flights.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that On January 27, two Venezuelan migrants were deported to Colombian territory. who had previously resided in Colombia.
This repatriation, the first of Venezuelans to Colombia, it was done through Title 42, a policy established by the Administration of former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) and maintained by that of Joe Biden, which allows migrants to be quickly expelled due to the covid-19 pandemic.
The White House, which hopes to continue with new expulsions of Venezuelans to Colombia, stated that “Those who do not have legal status to remain in the United States will be deported.”
Given the controversy that arose, the president of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Senate, Democrat Bob Menendez described this Tuesday as “extremely worrying” the deportations of migrants to third countries, and asked to stop resorting to Title 42.
“By continuing to use one of Trump’s worst immigration policies, this Administration is turning its back on the immigrants who most need our protection“, he reproached in a statement.
While the United States Government assured having held “conversations” on the matter with Colombia, Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez, denied having closed an agreement with Washington.
Ramirez assured that the cases of deportation of Venezuelans who have Temporary Protection Status in Colombia will be analyzed “case by case”.
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“If they are under the protection status, but they don’t want to live in Colombia anymore, It makes no sense for them to be deported because we cannot force them to live in our country.“, asserted the vice president of Colombia, a country that is home to more than 1.7 million Venezuelans.
For its part, the representatives in Washington of the Venezuelan opposition Juan Guaidó, recognized by the White House as “interim president”, called on the United States to allow “Venezuelan migrants to present their asylum applications”.
