Repatriation Efforts Continue as Deportation Flights Depart from Rio Grande Valley

Authorities are continuing their efforts to remove individuals with illegal status in the country, with repatriation flights departing from designated areas, including the Rio Grande Valley along the border, just one day before President Biden’s arrival.

This morning, dozens of men and women were deported to Colombia from the Valley International Airport in Harlingen. Approximately 130 people boarded the plane, with each individual facing varying lengths of bans from reentering the country, depending on their arrest history for illegal entry.

“Some cases have a five-year ban, some cases have a 20-year ban, some cases have a lifetime ban,” said authorities. These expulsions take place several times a week, with immigrants being apprehended in various points of the country, including South Texas.

The Enforcement and Removal Operations Division of ICE conducted more than 142,000 removals and more than 62,000 expulsions to over 170 countries in the fiscal year of 2023. Immigrants on the flights are handcuffed for security measures, and food and medical services are available to them.

Each person on the plane had the opportunity to present their case to a judge, who determined they did not have a legal basis to remain in the country. Authorities prioritize individuals for removal based on national security, criminality, and fraudulent activities that undermine local communities.