Rubio says US does not know whereabouts of 137 Venezuelans deported under the Alien Enemies Act
Source: CNN Politics
PUBLISHED Jan 13, 2026, 9:32 AM ET
The Trump administration does not know the whereabouts of 137 Venezuelans it unlawfully deported last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding that attempting to offer them due process would impact US foreign policy interests in the country.
“Given the passage of time, the U.S. government does not know—nor does it have any way of knowing—the whereabouts of class members, including whether anyone has departed Venezuela or whether the (Nicolás Maduro) regime subsequently took anyone back into custody,” Rubio said in a court filing Monday responding to a federal judge’s December ruling requiring the US to find ways to give the migrants due process.
The secretary of state’s comments underscore the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to immigration, which has escalated in recent months with federal agents sent to several cities for immigration enforcement. Monday’s filing also comes after President Donald Trump has said the US will “run” Venezuela following the capture of Maduro earlier this month.
Considering those developments, Rubio argued that the matter of setting up hearings for those who were deported – whether that be by bringing them back to the US or through virtual hearings from Venezuela – “would risk material damage to U.S. foreign policy interests in Venezuela.” Judge James Boasberg had ruled in December that the 137 migrants “received constitutionally inadequate process” in March when they were not provided with meaningful notice or an opportunity to challenge their deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/13/politics/marco-rubio-venezuela-migrants-alien-enemies-act
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