U.S. Deports Venezuelan Migrants Amid Legal Controversy

The U.S. government deported 177 Venezuelan migrants from Guantanamo Bay to Honduras, with plans for onward transfer to Venezuela. This action follows a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union challenging migrant treatment at Guantanamo. Among those deported were alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

The United States government has deported 177 Venezuelan migrants from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to Honduras, from where they will proceed to Venezuela, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.

In a statement on Thursday, the Honduran government confirmed the expected arrival of around 170 Venezuelan migrants initially set to arrive in their country before being transferred. These migrants, seen as 'unjustly' stationed at Guantanamo, will be flown to Venezuela by the airline Conviasa, with their arrival anticipated on the same day.

Legal considerations have surfaced, highlighted by a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, arguing the denied legal access to the migrants previously held at Guantanamo. Notably, 126 deportees were linked to criminal convictions, with a prominent number allegedly associated with the Tren de Aragua, a criminal group marked as a global terrorist organization by U.S. authorities. No migrants remain at Guantanamo following these deportations.

(With inputs from agencies.)