The US deported them to Venezuela - hours later earthquakes struck

July 2, 2026

Venezuelan deportee Abelardo Rincón, who had spent six years building a life in Georgia with his pregnant wife, was among over 140 migrants sent back to Venezuela on June 24 as part of President Trump's immigration enforcement actions. Shortly after the deportation flight landed and passengers were housed in a coastal hotel in La Guaira, devastating twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 2,200 people and leaving 50,000 missing according to UN figures. Rincón and several other deportees from the same flight are now among the missing, while their families desperately search hospitals and morgues for information.

Who is affected

Abelardo Rincón (23-year-old deportee), his pregnant wife, and his parents in Atlanta
Darwin Eliecer Serrano Lopez (35-year-old deportee) and his cousin Paola Chacón's family
Daniel Alejandro Nunez (28-year-old deportee), his mother, and stepfather Jose Alejandro Abache
Over 140 Venezuelan deportees on Flight 164, including 19 women and seven children
At least 2,200 people killed, more than 10,000 injured, and 50,000 missing in Venezuela due to the earthquakes

What action is being taken

Families are searching hospitals and morgues for missing deportees
Jose Rincón (Abelardo's grandfather) has viewed at least 200 bodies at morgues including in Caracas
Families are attempting to access the destroyed hotel site where deportees were housed
The Venezuelan government has posted phone numbers for the general public to call for information

Why it matters

This situation highlights the devastating intersection of immigration enforcement policy and natural disaster, where deportees who had built lives in the US for years were returned to Venezuela only to immediately face a catastrophic earthquake. The tragedy has compounded the suffering of separated families who had already endured the trauma of detention and deportation, leaving them without answers about their loved ones' fates. The case also raises questions about governmental responsibility for deportees' safety and well-being after they are returned to their home countries, particularly when immediate disaster strikes.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC