Venezuela Raid and U.S. Policy

Many Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. say they feel both relieved by the raid that ousted Nicolás Maduro and fearful of returning or being deported — voices such as Alejandra Salima in Miami and Manuel Coronel in Utah describe "joy and trepidation," and AP interviews across several U.S. cities show little sign of a rush to go back. That reluctance contradicts Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s claim that migrants are "overwhelmingly" excited to return, as migrants point to hyperinflation (around 1 million percent), economic collapse and dangerous flight routes through Ecuador, Peru and the Darién Gap to explain why they fear repatriation even as deportation pressure in the U.S. increases.