The United States sent dozens of Venezuelan migrants back to their home country on sealed planes just hours before a series of earthquakes struck the region, prompting British diplomats to call for urgent reform of deportation procedures. The deportations, which took place on Tuesday, saw 120 Venezuelans flown from Texas to Caracas despite warnings from humanitarian groups about the dangers of returning people to a nation still reeling from political and economic collapse. Within 12 hours of their arrival, a 5.
8 magnitude earthquake hit the coastal state of Sucre, followed by aftershocks that shook buildings in the capital. None of the deportees were reported injured, but the incident has intensified scrutiny of the Biden administration's immigration policies and their disregard for the safety of vulnerable people. A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Washington described the timing as 'deeply concerning' and urged the US to halt forced returns until a full risk assessment is carried out.
Labour MP Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: 'This is a shocking example of a broken system. We cannot have governments shuffling people like cargo without regard for their lives.' Families of the deportees told reporters they had no way to contact relatives after the quakes.
One woman in Houston said her brother had been taken from a detention centre and not allowed to phone her before the flight. 'I don't know if he is alive or dead,' she said. The US Department of Homeland Security defended the operation, stating that all deportees had received full medical checks and were informed of their destination.
But British diplomats have stressed that international law requires states to consider foreseeable risks before returning people to danger zones. As rescue workers in Venezuela dig through rubble, the voices of those sent back remain silenced. Their plight is a stark reminder of what happens when policy ignores humanity.
