U.S. air and naval forces are set to deploy to the Southern Caribbean Sea following President Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-greenlights-military-force-to-take-down-latin-american-drug-cartels">directive</a> for the Pentagon to use the military for operations against Latin American drug cartels, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-military-deploying-forces-southern-caribbean-against-drug-groups-2025-08-14/">reported</a> on Thursday.
Sources briefed on the move told Reuters that after Trump&#8217;s order, the Defense Department has begun deploying U.S. troops to address &#8220;threats to U.S. national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organizations in the region.&#8221; Last week, Trump quietly signed an order to deploy U.S. troops to conduct anti-cartel operations in foreign countries, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/trump-military-drug-cartels.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimesworld">according</a> to The New York Times.
It remains unknown which specific cartels the president is targeting in his directive. After Trump was sworn into office, the United States designated seven drug cartels and two international criminal gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. Most of those cartels primarily operate in Mexico, but the reported deployment of troops to the South Caribbean Sea suggests that the operation will focus more on Central and South America.
Venezuela, whose northern coastline sits on the South Caribbean Sea, has been a recent subject of the Trump administration&#8217;s scrutiny. Shortly after the president took office, the State Department designated the Venezuelan international criminal gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), as a foreign terrorist organization, and most recently added the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles to its terrorist organization list.
Trump has also ramped up pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-hikes-bounty-on-venezuelas-maduro-to-50m">raising</a> the bounty on him to $50 million and pointing to his ties to transnational gangs and drug cartels. Attorney General Pam Bondi also accused Maduro of using the powerful Mexican drug cartel, Sinaloa, &#8220;to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country.&#8221;
&#8220;To date, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself,” Bondi said earlier this month.
After Trump greenlit military operations against drug cartels, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-president-says-u-s-military-will-not-fight-drug-cartels-on-its-soil">said</a> that U.S. troops would not be entering her country to fight cartels. Sheinbaum said last week that U.S. officials gave her a heads-up that Trump&#8217;s directive &#8220;was coming,&#8221; adding that an American troop deployment to Mexico was &#8220;absolutely ruled out.&#8221;
&#8220;It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said no,&#8221; Sheinbaum said.
Trump has already been using the military along the U.S.-Mexico border to help clamp down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The U.S. military has also increased its aerial surveillance of Mexican drug cartels, collecting intelligence on the traffickers responsible for shipping deadly drugs, such as fentanyl, into the United States.

U.S. Navy Helicopter

U.S. Deploys Forces To Take On Latin American Drug Cartels In The Southern Caribbean

U.S. Deploys Forces To Southern Caribbean To Take On Latin American Drug Cartels

Donald Trump

Drug Cartels

Mexico

Trump Administration

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Military

U.S. Navy

Venezuela

President Donald Trump quietly signed a directive ordering the Pentagon to begin using military force against Latin American drug cartels that the administration has labeled as terrorist organizations, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/trump-military-drug-cartels.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimesworld">reported</a> Friday morning.
The order includes an official basis for the United States military to conduct anti-cartel operations in foreign countries, and military officials have already begun drafting plans for going after certain groups, the Times reported, citing &#8220;people familiar with the conversations.&#8221; It was not immediately clear which specific gangs or drug cartels Trump&#8217;s new directive greenlights military operations against.
Under Trump, the United States has <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels">designated</a> seven drug cartels and two international criminal gangs as foreign terrorist organizations: Tren de Aragua (TdA), Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Cártel de Sinaloa, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (CDN), La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), Cártel de Golfo (CDG), and Cárteles Unidos (CU). The Trump administration recently added the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles to its list, saying that it is operated by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking government officials, according to the Times. On Thursday, the United States upped the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-hikes-bounty-on-venezuelas-maduro-to-50m">bounty</a> on Maduro to $50 million, pointing to his ties to transnational gangs and drug cartels.
&#8220;Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TDA, Sinaloa, and Cartel of the Suns to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country. To date, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself,&#8221; said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Most of the cartels designated by the Trump administration as terrorist organizations operate in Mexico, while TdA&#8217;s roots are in Venezuela, and MS-13 originated in Los Angeles as a Salvadoran street gang. Both TdA and MS-13 also have cells operating in Central America, according to the State Department.
Trump&#8217;s order is among the most significant steps he has taken to fulfill his promise to &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCGjPpNG4xA">wage war</a>&#8221; on cartels that have trafficked fentanyl and other drugs into the United States, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans. In May, President Trump said he offered Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum a deal that would send U.S. troops into Mexico to fight drug cartels.
&#8220;They are horrible people that have been killing people left and right. They&#8217;ve made a fortune on selling drugs and destroying our people,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000010147246/trump-offers-us-military-to-fight-mexican-cartels.html">told</a> reporters aboard Air Force One. &#8220;If Mexico wanted help with the cartels, we would be honored to go in and do it.&#8221;
Sheinbaum <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/sheinbaum-says-she-rejected-trumps-offer-send-troops-mexico-2025-05-03/">rejected</a> Trump&#8217;s proposal, saying, &#8220;Sovereignty is not for sale. Sovereignty is loved and defended.&#8221;
&#8220;We will never accept the presence of the United States military in our territory,&#8221; she added.

Trump Greenlights Military Force To Take Down Latin American Drug Cartels

Central America

Executive

Military

MS-13

Politics

Tren De Aragua

The United States doubled its reward on information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday, offering $50 million.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the new bounty in a video statement, highlighting Maduro’s ties to drug cartels and calling the South American dictator a threat to U.S. national security.
“Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TDA, Sinaloa, and Cartel of the Suns to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country. To date, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself,” said Bondi.
“The DOJ has seized over $700 million of Maduro-linked assets, including two private jets, nine vehicles, and more,” she added. “Yet, Maduro&#8217;s reign of terror continues. He is one of the largest narco traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a> are announcing a $50 MILLION REWARD for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. <a href="https://t.co/D8LNqjS9yk">pic.twitter.com/D8LNqjS9yk</a>
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1953583017353466306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
The United States’ bounty on Maduro previously increased in January when the Biden administration increased it to $25 million. The higher bounty came after the United States accused Maduro of claiming victory over a fraudulent election last year.
The United States has not recognized Maduro as Venezuela&#8217;s lawful leader since 2019, after the dictator claimed victory over the “deeply flawed 2018 presidential election,” according to the Department of Justice.
The Department of Justice first placed a bounty on Maduro in 2020, set at $15 million.
During his first term, President Donald Trump began to <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-in-final-parting-shot-hits-venezuela-with-sanctions">ratchet</a> up pressure on Maduro. One of Trump’s last acts of his first term was to put in place sweeping sanctions on assets and people suspected of aiding Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA, of trading its fuel.
Venezuela’s economy has collapsed under the Maduro regime, with millions of residents fleeing the country. The regime has kept afloat almost entirely from the country’s oil industry. Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
Earlier this year, Trump reversed course on a decision to cancel Venezuela’s license to work with Chevron to export oil to the United States. Chevron first obtained the license to work in Venezuela in 2022, and Trump canceled the license in February.
The president <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trump-admin-allows-chevron-again-pump-oil-venezuela-reversing-ban">renewed</a> the license in July, reportedly as part of a prisoner swap that saw 10 American hostages returned to the United States from Venezuela.

Nicolas Maduro

Trump Hikes Bounty On Venezuela’s Maduro To $50M

Department of Justice

Pam Bondi

Ten Americans, some of whom had been held hostage for months by Venezuela&#8217;s socialist government, are heading back home after the Trump administration secured their release on Friday.
In exchange for the 10 Americans, over 200 Venezuelan migrants that the United States had sent to El Salvador&#8217;s notorious CECOT prison will be released to Venezuela, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/world/americas/venezuela-us-prisoner-swap-migrants-el-salvador.html">reported</a>.
&#8220;Thanks to@POTUS’s leadership, ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela are on their way to freedom,&#8221; Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://x.com/secrubio/status/1946297566045278405">posted</a> on X. &#8220;I want to thank my team at the @StateDep &amp; especially [Salvadoran] President @nayibbukele for helping secure an agreement for the release of all of our American detainees, plus the release of Venezuelan political prisoners.&#8221;
Bukele said on Friday that his government &#8220;handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA). Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes.&#8221;
The American hostages will make a stop in El Salvador after being released by Venezuela before returning to the United States.
&#8220;This operation is the result of months of negotiations with a tyrannical regime that had long refused to release one of its most valuable bargaining chips: its hostages,&#8221; Bukele wrote in a post shared by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. &#8220;However, thanks to the tireless efforts of many officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA). Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes.
As was offered to the Venezuelan… <a href="https://t.co/teuIT4GiRT">pic.twitter.com/teuIT4GiRT</a>
&mdash; Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1946296384035918284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Among the Americans held hostage by Venezuela is former Navy SEAL Wilbert Joseph Castaneda, who was detained last year while traveling, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prisoner-swap-us-venezuela-el-salvador/">reported</a>.
&#8220;We have prayed for this day for almost a year. My brother is an innocent man who was used as a political pawn by the Maduro regime,&#8221; Castaneda&#8217;s family said in a statement. The family added that several traumatic brain injuries Castaneda suffered while serving his country &#8220;impaired his judgment and risk mitigation&#8221; and &#8220;led him to make a bad decision to travel to Venezuela.&#8221;
Another freed hostage is Lucas Hunter, an American and French citizen, who was on a kite surfing trip in Colombia when he was nabbed by Venezuelan authorities near the border, according to the Times.
A photo posted by the U.S. embassy in Venezuela showed the freed hostages waving American flags.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Nothing says freedom like the American flag. Ten Americans freed from Venezuelan prisons today are coming home because of <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nayibbukele</a>. 
America First in action. <a href="https://t.co/pc6bI0Wgnx">pic.twitter.com/pc6bI0Wgnx</a>
&mdash; Embajada de los EE.UU., Venezuela (@usembassyve) <a href="https://twitter.com/usembassyve/status/1946299817199653366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The release of the 10 Americans on Friday comes after the Trump administration got six Americans back home from the South American country in late January. After their release, some of the American hostages told the Times that they were beaten and subjected to &#8220;psychological torture.&#8221;
The United States has imposed <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10715">sanctions</a> on Venezuela, which is led by dictator Nicolas Maduro, targeting the country&#8217;s government and oil sector &#8220;in response to Maduro&#8217;s repression.&#8221;

Venezuelan migrants

Trump Admin Secures Release Of 10 Americans Held In Venezuela In Exchange For Hundreds Of Migrants

Americans

Global Politics

Hostages

Marco Rubio

Nayib Bukele

World

President Donald Trump earlier this month announced ban on travel from a dozen countries and partial restrictions from seven more in an effort to protect the United States from terrorist and public safety threats.
The ban fully restricts or limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries “found to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States” including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Seven countries will face partial travel restrictions, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The White House says the order makes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, people with existing visas, certain visa types, and anyone whose entry would support American national interests.
According to the White House, the goal of the ban is to pressure foreign governments to cooperate on security, help enforce United States immigration laws, and support key national security and counterterrorism priorities.
The restrictions follow a January executive order in which national security agencies were told to assess the security risks of various countries. That review led to the current list.
Here are the reasons the Trump administration says each country is facing restrictions:
<h3>Full Restrictions:</h3>
Afghanistan
Taliban-controlled Afghanistan lacks a reliable government to issue valid passports and civil documents and does not have adequate screening and vetting measures, according to the Trump administration. Furthermore, Afghanistan has a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of nearly 10% and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of nearly 30%.
Burma
Burma has extremely high visa overstay rates — over 27% for tourist/business visas (B1/B2) and more than 42% for student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visas. Burma has also refused to take back its citizens who are ordered to be deported from the U.S. The government added that Burma has “historically not cooperated with the United States to accept back their removable nationals.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Chad
Chad has one of the worst visa overstay rates, with nearly 50% for business/tourist (B1/B2) visas and over 55% for student (F), vocational (M), and exchange (J) visas in 2023. In 2022, the B1/B2 overstay rate was also high at 37.12%. The U.S. says these numbers indicate “a blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws.”
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo, which has been embroiled in conflict for more than 30 years, also has a visa overstay issue with a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of almost 30% and student (F) visas, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visas, overstay rate of about 35%.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, located in central Africa, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) overstay rate of 21.98% and student (F) visas, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 70.18%.
Eritrea
The United States questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents in Eritrea, and says it does not have access to criminal records for Eritrean nationals. The east African country has also historically refused to accept back its deported citizens. Its tourist/business (B1/B2) visa overstay rate is about 20% and student (F) visas, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate is about 55%.
Haiti
Currently overrun by murderous gangs, Haiti had hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens flood into the United States during the Biden administration. According to the Trump administration the “influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats.” Haiti also lacks “a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States.” Haiti had a tourist/business (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 31.38% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of about 25.05%.
Iran
Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism, routinely fails to cooperate with the United States government in identifying security risks and has historically failed to accept back its nationals eligible for deportation.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF RECOVERS BODIES OF TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN GAZA</a>
Libya
Libya lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents. The country’s historical terrorism presence amplifies the risk of Libyan nationals entering the United States.
Somalia
Somalia also lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents, does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures, and has historically refused to take back its nationals eligible for deportation. The Trump administration says Somalia differs from the other countries due to its government lacking command and control of its territory, “which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects.” Somalia is also a “terrorist safe haven” where radicals travel to join terrorist groups that pose a threat to the United States.
Sudan
Sudan, located in northern Africa, lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and lacks appropriate screening and vetting measures. Sudan had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 26.30% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of about 28.40%.
Yemen
Yemen, which is currently overrun by the U.S.-designated terror group, the Houthis, lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-will-stop-airstrikes-on-houthis-after-terror-group-capitulated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bombed the group for weeks</a> in an effort to restore global trade that the Iran-backed proxy disrupted.
<h3></h3>
<h3>Partial Restrictions:</h3>
Burundi
Burundi, located in eastern Africa, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 15.35% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of about 17.52%.
Cuba
Cuba, a designated state sponsor of terrorism, does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States and has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-opens-hearing-on-chinese-surveillance-targeting-u-s-from-cuba?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=House+Opens+Hearing+On+Chinese+Surveillance+Targeting+U.S.+From+Cuba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cuba</a> had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 7.69% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 18.75%.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-says-prepared-deal-with-greta-thunbergs-flotilla-en-route-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Says+It%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Prepared%E2%80%99+To+Deal+With+Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Flotilla+En+Route+To+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF SAYS IT’S ‘PREPARED’ TO DEAL WITH GRETA THUNBERG’S FLOTILLA EN ROUTE TO GAZA</a>
Laos
Laos, located in southeast Asia, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 34.77% and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 6.49%. Laos has also historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, located in western Africa, has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. It had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gazans-flood-the-streets-to-protest-hamas-as-idf-operations-intensify?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Gazans+Flood+The+Streets+To+Protest+Hamas+As+IDF+Operations+Intensify" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAZANS FLOOD THE STREETS TO PROTEST HAMAS AS IDF OPERATIONS INTENSIFY</a>
Togo
Togo, also located in western Africa, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 19.03 percent and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 35.05 percent.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia, had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and a student (F) visa, vocational (M) visas, and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 21.74 percent.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
Venezuela
Venezuela, a socialist-run country  known for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/venezuela-frees-u-s-air-force-veteran-in-bid-to-ease-tensions-with-united-states?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Venezuela+Frees+U.S.+Air+Force+Veteran+In+Bid+To+Ease+Tensions+With+United+States" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrongfully detaining</a> American citizens, has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. It also does not have a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and lacks appropriate screening and vetting measures. Venezuela had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 9.83 percent.

Trump Travel Ban 2.0: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Afghanistan

Cuba

Haiti

Iran

Sudan

Yemen

A man wanted over a hit-and-run in Nashville last month is an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by the Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security said that Tony Gebian Lopez Infante, who is suspected of driving his car into a Florida man celebrating his 21st birthday, illegally entered the country in August 2023. Lopez Infante is on the run after police say that he slammed into Zachary Carach with his vehicle on May 18, sending him to the hospital with serious injuries.
“An illegal alien who should never have been in the U.S. allegedly struck a young man who was celebrating his 21st birthday in a hit-and-run crash and is still at large. The Biden Administration released this illegal alien into our country in 2023,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This crime was preventable and is the direct result of open border policies that prioritized illegal aliens over the safety of American citizens.”
“Secretary Noem is praying for Zachary Carach’s quick recovery. To report suspicious criminal activity or sightings of Lopez Infante, call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) — help President Trump, Secretary Noem, and our brave law enforcement remove these public safety threats from our communities and make America safe again,” McLaughlin added.
After his apprehension at the border on August 1, 2023, Lopez Infante was released on August 14, 2023, to await removal proceedings. Over a year later, he was ordered to be deported on September 25, 2024, by an immigration judge, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
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Carach spent five days in a Nashville hospital before he was transported to a hospital in Florida to continue treatment. His legs and arms were seriously injured, requiring surgery to put screws into his left leg. His mother <a href="https://weartv.com/news/local/mother-of-escambia-county-hit-and-run-victim-speaks-out-as-search-intensifies-for-suspect">told</a> a local Florida news station that he is expected to be in a wheelchair for at least two to three months.
<div id="attachment_930123" style="width: 549px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930123" class="wp-image-930123 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/unnamed-4.png" alt="" width="539" height="238" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/unnamed-4.png 539w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/unnamed-4-300x132.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 539px) 100vw, 539px" />Carach was struck by a vehicle on May 18.</div>
Metro Nashville Police said that Lopez Infante will be <a href="https://www.nashville.gov/departments/police/news/suspect-sought-hit-and-run-crash-seriously-injured-pedestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, failure to render aid/file an accident report, attempted evidence tampering, and driving without a license/insurance once he is apprehended. He also faces another charge related to an arrest over theft in Williamson County, a wealthy area south of Nashville.
Local Nashville officials, including Democratic Mayor Freddie O’Connell, have bashed the Trump administration’s efforts to remove illegal aliens from the streets. O’Connell pledged to <a href="https://www.nashville.gov/departments/mayor/news/belonging-fund-launches-provide-emergency-support-immigrants-nashville">support</a> the creation of the “Belonging Fund,” intended to provide financial support to illegal aliens after Immigration and Customs Enforcement partnered with the Tennessee Highway Patrol to conduct traffic stops where they apprehended nearly one hundred illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending charges.
These protests by Music City Democrats have prompted Border Czar Tom Homan to threaten a visit to implement a broader crackdown on illegal aliens.

MixCollage-05-Jun-2025-04-35-PM-2631

Man Wanted In Nashville Hit-And-Run Is Illegal Alien Released Into Country By Biden

Crime

Illegal Immigation

Kristi Noem

Nashville

Tennessee

U.S.

Venezuela released U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair on Tuesday in a bid to ease tensions with the United States.
St. Clair, 33, boarded a private chartered flight in Antigua and Barbuda and arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/venezuela-frees-u-s-air-force-veteran-in-overture-to-trump-da13eb55" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>. Richard Grenell, the U.S. envoy for special missions, oversaw the handoff between Venezuelan and U.S. authorities.
Nine other Americans remain in Venezuelan custody. St. Clair and eight of the remaining prisoners were declared wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department on March 3. The ninth is expected to be designated wrongfully detained soon, WSJ reports.
“Joe St. Clair is back in America,” Grenell posted to social media along with photos of himself and the Air Force veteran. “I met Venezuelan officials in a neutral country today to negotiate an America First strategy. This is only possible because @realDonaldTrump puts Americans first.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe St. Clair is back in America. 
I met Venezuelan officials in a neutral country today to negotiate an America First strategy. 
This is only possible because <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> puts Americans first. <a href="https://twitter.com/tsori233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tsori233</a> <a href="https://t.co/BItEnF9Ngg">pic.twitter.com/BItEnF9Ngg</a>
&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1924949414763741433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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With St. Clair’s release, Caracas is hoping to placate the Trump administration into allowing Western oil companies to operate in the country, according to WSJ.
After coming into office, the Trump administration moved to pressure Venezuela and its dictator, Nicolas Maduro, by isolating the country economically and sequestering it from the global oil market. In February, Trump revoked a license that allowed Chevron to partner with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company to do business in the country.
Trump later took steps to block other Western oil companies from doing business in the country, as well. The president also <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/trump-says-any-country-that-purchases-oil-from-venezuela-will-have-to-pay-25percent-tariff-on-trade-with-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> to place 25% tariffs on any country that purchases Venezuelan oil.
In recent months, Venezuela has shown more willingness to work with the United States. In addition to releasing St. Clair, Caracas has also accepted a number of deportees back from the United States.
In return, the Trump administration will reportedly delay the final cutoff for Western oil companies to stop doing business in Venezuela.
St. Clair served four tours in Afghanistan. He was honorably discharged in 2019, however struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression while trying to reenter civilian life. He sought treatment in South America, and was arrested by Venezuelan authorities on the border of Venezuela and Columbia in October.

Richard Grenell, Donald Trump

Venezuela Frees U.S. Air Force Veteran In Bid To Ease Tensions With United States

Richard Grenell

A 24-year-old Venezuelan man claiming to be a human trafficking victim attended an Ohio high school for over a year while posing as a 16-year-old, local law enforcement said.
Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, an adult male, attended Perrysburg High School near Toledo from January 2024 until last week after it was discovered he had lied about his age, the city&#8217;s police department said Tuesday. Sierra was arrested on Monday and charged with felony forgery charges after a woman came forward and said that he was the father of her child and that he was pretending to be a teenager.
The Perrysburg School District said that Sierra used forged documents to obtain legal guardianship, a Social Security number, an Ohio driver&#8217;s license, and Temporary Protected Status from deportation.
Sierra&#8217;s legal status is currently unknown, but the Department of Homeland Security tells The Daily Wire it is looking into the matter.
Local detective Ryan Merrow, who is investigating the incident, told The Daily Wire that the case is ongoing and that more charges may be coming. Merrow added that the school told him that Sierra was working with an &#8220;advocacy group&#8221; to obtain protected legal status in the United States.
He said that investigators believe that Sierra&#8217;s real birthdate is March 27, 2001, while the Venezuelan national claimed to be born on December 2, 2007 when he first moved to enroll in high school in November 2023. Sierra obtained a guardian family, which was contacted last week by a woman who said she had a child with him and that he was lying about his identity. The guardian family then contacted the school, which reached out to the police department on Monday.
Merrow said that the police department verified the documentation provided by the woman, proving that Sierra was lying about his identity. He added that any crime committed by Sierra at the school or involving students at the school would be handled by Perrysburg Police.
The school district said Tuesday that they were heartbroken when they found out that they had allowed a 24-year-old male to attend school among young teenagers.
&#8220;What’s most heartbreaking is how many responded in good faith. Staff and local families offered support to someone they believed was a vulnerable teen. Their compassion reflects the best of our community. Though trust was violated, we remain proud of those who chose to help,&#8221; the district said. &#8220;Student safety remains our highest priority. We are committed to transparency and to strengthening safeguards that protect every child in our schools.&#8221;
Ohio state lawmaker Josh Williams, who represents the district containing the school, said he was &#8220;deeply troubled&#8221; by the news and that the people &#8220;need answers&#8221; from the school system.
&#8220;I seriously doubt the school system&#8217;s ability to keep our students safe when it can&#8217;t even affirm the immigration status or age of this man,&#8221; Williams said. &#8220;I will be following up very soon with more detailed questions for the school district.&#8221;
&#8220;When local districts fail this most basic responsibility, you can believe the legislature will get involved,&#8221; he said.
Rampant fraud has been found in many of the immigration programs that were implemented under President Joe Biden, including his parole program that released thousands of migrants into the country. A report from the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://cis.org/Arthur/DHS-Pauses-Its-Illegal-CHNV-Parole-Program-Amidst-Fraud-Concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that just a few thousand people were applying to &#8220;sponsor&#8221; over 100,000 migrants.

Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-5.01.41 PM-1

24-Year-Old Venezuelan Posed As Teen To Attend Ohio High School For Over A Year

Education

Ohio

school

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on Monday that the Trump administration can remove Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 350,000 Venezuelan migrants who were allowed to remain in the United States under the Biden administration.
In an unsigned order that included no opinions, the Supreme Court gave the Trump administration the green light to end TPS for Venezuelan migrants pending an appeal of the case, likely paving the way for the administration to ramp up deportations, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/us/politics/supreme-court-protected-status-venezuelans.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Biden appointee, was the only justice to say she would have denied the Trump administration&#8217;s request.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem kicked off the controversy over protected status for Venezuelan migrants in February when she terminated an 18-month extension of TPS for the migrants granted by Biden just before he left office. The extension would allow the Venezuelan migrants to remain in the United States and seek work authorization until October 2026.
After a lawsuit was brought against the Trump administration, Judge Edward M. Chen of the Federal District Court in San Francisco blocked Noem&#8217;s move to end TPS, saying that plaintiffs would have likely succeeded in showing that the secretary&#8217;s decision was “unauthorized by law, arbitrary and capricious, and motivated by unconstitutional animus.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit then rejected Trump&#8217;s request to pause the district court&#8217;s ruling before the case ended up in the Supreme Court.
In Solicitor General John Sauer&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-asks-supreme-court-to-revoke-legal-protections-for-350k-venezuelans?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+Asks+Supreme+Court+To+Revoke+Legal+Protections+For+350K+Venezuelans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeal</a> to the Supreme Court, he wrote, “The Secretary’s decision whether to designate, extend, or terminate TPS implicates sensitive judgments as to foreign policy and, in this case, the ‘national interest’—a discretionary determination that Congress expressly committed to her judgment.”
Monday&#8217;s order from the high court is welcome news for Trump after justices ruled against the president 7-2 last Friday, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-trump-administration-venezuelans-alien-enemies-act-rcna202094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordering</a> the administration to pause deportations of suspected Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador. In that case, the majority ruled that the Trump administration must give detainees more time to raise legal objections. Only conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. Trump blasted Friday&#8217;s decision, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114519567610751944" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, &#8220;The Supreme Court won&#8217;t allow us to get criminals out of our country!&#8221;

ICE agent

SCOTUS Allows Trump To End Temporary Protected Status For Certain Migrants

Courts

Illegal Immigration

Migrants

SCOTUS

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled 7-2 against the Trump administration&#8217;s attempt to swiftly deport Venezuelan gang members under the Alien Enemies Act, requiring officials to provide more than 24 hours for detainees to challenge their removal.
&#8220;Under these circumstances, notice roughly 24 hours before removal, devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights to contest that removal, surely does not pass muster,&#8221; the majority wrote.
The unsigned <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1007_g2bh.pdf">decision</a> clarified that the Court was only ruling on the notice requirement and not whether the Trump administration can use the Alien Enemies Act itself.
&#8220;To be clear, we decide today only that the detainees are entitled to more notice than was given on April 18,&#8221; the Court stated in its ruling, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-trump-administration-venezuelans-alien-enemies-act-rcna202094">reported</a>.
The Alien Enemies Act, enacted in 1798, allows the president to apprehend and deport citizens of a hostile nation during wartime or invasion.
Administration officials argued that Venezuela&#8217;s government has used Tren de Aragua as a proxy force, effectively weaponizing the gang to destabilize the United States through criminal activity and drug trafficking.
Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, with Alito writing there were no grounds for the Court to intervene &#8220;at such an early stage of the litigation.&#8221;
&#8220;The Court&#8217;s failure to defer to the Executive Branch in immigration matters in which national security is at stake represents an extraordinary departure from our precedents,&#8221; Alito wrote.
The Court did acknowledge it was &#8220;far removed from the circumstances on the ground&#8221; and was not best positioned to determine the exact deportation process that should be followed.
The case has been sent back to an appeals court to establish appropriate due process procedures for the detainees in yet another legal impediment to Trump’s immigration agenda.
President Trump on Friday accused the high court of &#8220;being played by the radical left,&#8221; who only succeed through &#8220;intimidation of the court.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
THE SUPREME COURT IS BEING PLAYED BY THE RADICAL LEFT LOSERS, WHO HAVE NO SUPPORT, THE PUBLIC HATES THEM, AND THEIR ONLY HOPE IS THE INTIMIDATION OF THE COURT, ITSELF. WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN TO OUR COUNTRY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1923432648103333919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Today’s ruling effectively extends the temporary freeze that the justices put on Alien Enemies Act removals from the Northern District of Texas back on April 19,” <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/16/politics/supreme-court-alien-enemies-act">said</a> Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown Law.
“Because lower courts have blocked use of the act in every other district in which the president has sought to invoke it, that means it’s effectively pausing all removals under the act until the 5th Circuit – and, presumably, the Supreme Court itself – conclusively resolves whether they’re legal and how much process is due if so.”

Multiple Storms Dump Snow From Midwest To East Coast This Week

SCOTUS Blocks Trump’s Bid To Resume Swift Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

Deportations

On Tuesday night, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the United States had rescued all the hostages kept by the socialist Venezuelan Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas.
Those five hostages were members of the opposition to Nicholas Maduro’s brutal regime. “The government of Argentine President Javier Milei allowed the five people into the ambassador’s residence in March 2024, when authorities loyal to Venezuela’s ruling party issued warrants for their arrest, accusing them of promoting acts of violence to destabilize the country,” The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/06/venezuela-argentina-caracas-political-opposition-us-rubio/9ee7c378-2ada-11f0-a724-3bc879c9f843_story.html">reported</a>, adding, “Since late November, the group had denounced the constant presence of intelligence service agents and police outside the residence.”
“The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas,” Rubio wrote on X. “Following a precise operation, all hostages are now safely on U.S. soil. Maduro&#8217;s illegitimate regime has undermined Venezuela&#8217;s institutions, violated human rights, and endangered our regional security. We extend our gratitude to all personnel involved in this operation and to our partners who assisted in securing the safe liberation of these Venezuelan heroes.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas. 
Following a precise operation, all hostages are now safely on U.S. soil. Maduro&#39;s illegitimate regime has undermined Venezuela&#39;s institutions, violated human…
&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1919905924149330199?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
In January, Milei met with exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia in Casa Rosada, declaring him the Venezuelan “president elect.”
“Venezuelans, we will also meet in the streets of our beloved country,” González Urrutia wrote on X.
After the meeting, the Argentine government called González Urrutia “Venezuela’s president-elect,” adding he “is under political persecution by the regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro,” the Buenos Aires Herald <a href="https://buenosairesherald.com/world/international-relations/milei-calls-urrutia-venezuelas-president-elect-as-tension-with-caracas-skyrockets">reported</a>.
Maduro was declared the winner of the July 2024 presidential election in Venezuela by the National Electoral Council, while the opposition claimed that they were the winners. Milei wrote on X, “Venezuelans have chosen to end Nicolás Maduro&#8217;s communist dictatorship. The data indicates a crushing victory for the opposition, and the world awaits its recognition of defeat after years of socialism, misery, decadence, and death. Argentina will not acknowledge another fraud, and expects the Armed Forces to defend democracy and the popular will this time.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
DICTADOR MADURO, AFUERA!!!
Los venezolanos eligieron terminar con la dictadura comunista de Nicolás Maduro. Los datos anuncian una victoria aplastante de la oposición y el mundo aguarda que reconozca la derrota luego de años de socialismo, miseria, decadencia y muerte.…
&mdash; Javier Milei (@JMilei) <a href="https://twitter.com/JMilei/status/1817760569404842400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
When González Urrutia met with Milei, he gave him a framed voting tally showing he had won.

US-DIPLOMACY-RUBIO-CARICOM

Rubio Announces U.S. Rescued 5 Hostages Held By Maduro In Venezuela

Argentina

Javier Milei

Rescue

The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to greenlight its efforts to end a Biden-era immigration program shielding hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan nationals from deportation. 
Solicitor General John Sauer filed a 38-page <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25925690/24a1059.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emergency appeal</a> to SCOTUS asking it to block a federal judge’s ruling that said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem could not end Temporary Protected Status for 348,202 Venezuelans. Sauer argued that Noem’s decision to end one of the TPS designations for Venezuela was unreviewable and up to her discretion. 
“The Secretary’s decision whether to designate, extend, or terminate TPS implicates sensitive judgments as to foreign policy and, in this case, the ‘national interest’—a discretionary determination that Congress expressly committed to her judgment,” Sauer wrote in his filing. 
Noem <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/noem-ends-biden-program-shielding-thousands-of-venezuelans-from-deportation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> in February that she would end the program, which was started during the Biden administration in October 2023, because she had determined it was not in America’s best interest to continue with it, adding that conditions in Venezuela had improved. Just weeks before leaving office, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended the designation until October 2026. 
“TPS has allowed a significant population of inadmissible or illegal aliens without a path to lawful immigration status to settle in the interior of the United States, and the sheer numbers have resulted in associated difficulties in local communities where local resources have been inadequate to meet the demands caused by increased numbers,&#8221; the Department of Homeland Security said.
In April, U.S. Senior District Judge Edward Chen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-says-trump-admin-must-keep-biden-era-program-shielding-venezuelans-from-deportation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sided</a> with the National TPS Alliance and blocked Noem from ending the program, saying that the revocation would cause “irreparable harm” and hurt the economy. The Obama-appointed judge also claimed that TPS recipients were more educated, involved in the workforce, and less likely to commit crimes than American citizens. 
Sauer argued that Chen’s ruling “undermines the Executive Branch’s inherent powers as to immigration and foreign affairs.”
“The court contravened an express bar on judicial review, sidestepped black-letter law authorizing agencies to reverse as-yet-inoperative actions, and embraced a baseless equal-protection theory on the road to issuing impermissible universal relief that intrudes on central Executive Branch operations,” he wrote. “Its order upsets the judgments of the political branches, prohibiting the Executive Branch from enforcing a time-sensitive immigration policy and indefinitely extending an immigration status that Congress intended to be ‘temporary.’”
Last month, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan illegals suspected of being members of Tren de Aragua under the Alien Enemies Act. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.

US-IMMIGRATION-politics-court

Trump Admin Asks Supreme Court To Revoke Legal Protections For 350K Venezuelans

Department of Homeland Security

Joe Biden

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