On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced the return of American hostages held in Venezuela, after a U.S. envoy visited the country. The president shared the news on Truth Social, emphasizing that his administration had reached an agreement with Venezuela to repatriate its citizens, including gang members, illegally in the U.S. Trump praised the return of the hostages and noted that Venezuela would accept back all illegal Venezuelan nationals, including members of the Tren de Aragua gang, with transportation provided by Venezuela.

The release followed a meeting between Trump’s envoy, Richard Grenell, and Venezuelan officials, including President Nicolás Maduro. Grenell confirmed the return of six American hostages and shared their gratitude to Trump. This development occurred alongside Trump’s focus on deporting illegal migrants, particularly under programs allowed by the Biden administration. Trump’s team is also targeting individuals who were granted temporary legal status under Biden’s parole programs, which allowed migrants fleeing certain countries to enter the U.S. temporarily.

A recent memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorizes officials to expedite the deportation of migrants, including those under Biden-era programs, a move Trump sees as addressing abuses in the immigration system. His administration plans to remove not only individuals who entered illegally but also those who followed authorized pathways, such as migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti, totaling over 1.4 million people.