Trump Deports to Venezuela, Iran Amid War: 650,000 Lose TPS

In an unprecedented escalation of immigration cruelty, the Trump administration has deported thousands of migrants to Venezuela and Iran amid active armed conflict, even while planning military interventions against these same countries.

The revelation, documented by El País, exposes the brutal contradiction of a policy that declares these territories dangerous zones while simultaneously sending deportees directly into harm’s way.

650,000 Venezuelans Lose Legal Protection

The most devastating blow came with the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans, leaving approximately 650,000 people without legal permission to remain in the United States.

“It’s hypocritical that Trump ended TPS for Venezuelans who have lived in the United States for decades while simultaneously warning Americans against traveling to the country,” denounced Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey.

Mass Deportations Accelerate After Maduro’s Capture

According to Human Rights First, the United States had carried out 78 flights to Venezuela deporting nearly 15,000 Venezuelans by January 20. After Nicolás Maduro’s capture on January 3, seven flights deported 1,509 citizens in January alone.

The interim government of Delcy Rodríguez agreed to receive three flights per week, projecting 30,000 Venezuelan deportations this year — double last year’s figure.

Iranians Deported to Certain Death

The Iranian case reveals even more extreme levels of cruelty. Trump ended decades of policy granting asylum to Iranian citizens, sending the first deportation flight in years on September 28 with 120 Iranians, including three women.

LGBTQ+ Couples Face Execution

Rebekah Wolf, an attorney at the American Immigration Council, represents two Iranian men who face execution for being gay. They have been detained since January 2025 after being denied asylum.

“They have an open criminal case in Iran for being gay,” Wolf explains. “They will be imprisoned and executed if they are deported. This is not a guess — it is clear that this is what will happen.”

The men have resisted three deportation attempts. In the first, the commercial pilot refused to transport them upon seeing their resistance.

The Paradox of Deporting to War Zones

Deportations continued even after the United States bombed Iran on February 28 alongside Israel, killing leader Ali Khamenei and triggering a regional conflict showing no signs of ending.

In Venezuela, deportations were briefly suspended between December 10 and January 16, but resumed after Maduro’s capture with three weekly flights.

Flights Via Honduran Military Base

Most deportations have been direct to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía. Since February 2025, some flights were rerouted through the US military base at Soto Cano in Honduras, though suspended by mid-August 2025.

Criticism for Complicity in Abuse

“This is a situation ripe for where we are being complicit in continuing human rights violations and that needs to stop,” declared Senator Booker, criticizing post-Maduro deportations.

Attorney Wolf questions the logic: “If the U.S. position is that the Iranian regime is repressive and undemocratic, the fact that we negotiated with them over our migration policy is astonishing.”

Impact on Migrant Communities

The 650,000 Venezuelans who lost TPS represent families established in the United States for decades. Many have US citizen children and established businesses.

TPS is a program that grants temporary and renewable legal status to migrants from countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other violent conditions.

Diplomatic Restoration Doesn’t Stop Deportations

Even after the United States and Venezuela announced the restoration of diplomatic relations last Thursday — severed since 2019 — deportations continue.

Maduro and Cilia Flores await trial in a New York jail after their January 3 capture.

FAQ: Deportations to Conflict Zones

Why is Trump deporting to war zones? The administration prioritizes mass deportations over human safety, ignoring obvious risks to deportees.

How many Venezuelans lost TPS? Approximately 650,000 Venezuelans lost legal protection after TPS termination.

What happens to deported Iranians? They face persecution, imprisonment, and possible execution, especially LGBTQ+ community members.

Do deportations violate international law? Critics argue they violate the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to territories where they face persecution.

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For more migration coverage, read about the federal lawsuit to expedite Cuban residencies and the humanitarian crisis of Cuban migrants.