President Trump announced on Saturday that several American hostages held in Venezuela had been freed, following a U.S. envoy’s visit to the country. He also revealed that Venezuela had agreed to take back its citizens, including gang members, who were illegally in the U.S. as part of a broader agreement to repatriate criminals from various countries.
Trump highlighted his administration’s efforts to deport record numbers of illegal immigrants, including criminals, with all countries now agreeing to accept their nationals back. He praised the success of his deportation policies, emphasizing the strong border numbers since his first term.
The announcement followed a meeting between Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, and Venezuelan officials. Grenell celebrated the release of six American citizens, who thanked Trump for his involvement. The discussions also included the deportation of Venezuelan nationals from the U.S., which had been a contentious issue due to strained U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is moving to remove illegal migrants granted temporary stay under Biden-era programs. A new memo directs ICE officials to expedite deportations, potentially affecting over a million migrants from countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti, which had entered the U.S. under specific legal pathways.
