ICE in Miami: Venezuelans pressure legislators following detentions

What happened to Humberto Castro, the Venezuelan detained in Doral?

Castro has lived in Doral for eight years and arrived in the United States with a visa. According to his daughter, Arianna Castro, he has a pending asylum request. She also assured EL PAÍS: «My dad has his work permit valid until 2030.»

According to his daughter, Castro has no criminal record. However, he was handcuffed while driving normally to work, according to the same account provided to EL PAÍS.

What do the Veppex and Amavex reports request from Congress?

Venezuelans Persecuted for Political Reasons in Exile (Veppex) and the Multicultural Association of Activists Voice and Expression (Amavex) prepared a joint report. Both organizations sent it to U.S. congresspeople and senators.

The document requests an investigation into the detentions of Venezuelans with asylum or other pending cases. It also denounces that some people have been deported to distant third countries, such as Liberia. It also notes that authorities do not publish clear records on the criminal backgrounds of detainees.

The report makes several specific requests to Congress and federal agencies:

• Oversight hearings on the detentions of Venezuelans.
• Reports from DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and ICE with data by nationality.
• An audit by the Government Accountability Office on arrests at airports.
• Individual case review by DHS and USCIS.
• Alternatives to detention for people without criminal records.

How many Venezuelans are in ICE custody?

According to the report, by July there were approximately 65,765 people in ICE custody. Of that total, more than 70% had no criminal record, according to the same document.

Additionally, the report documents at least three cases of Venezuelans detained between July and August. These individuals had work authorization and pending asylum cases, according to the Veppex and Amavex report.

Helen Villalonga, president of Amavex, told EL PAÍS that current immigration policy has «brutally hurt» the Venezuelan community. According to Villalonga, even Republican voters have contacted her to express their discontent after learning about the report.

How have Miami legislators responded?

Villalonga indicated, in statements to EL PAÍS, that the report seeks to pressure congresspeople before November. According to her, some legislators have shown sympathy, but that has not translated into concrete solutions. She added that legislators have not yet confirmed receiving the report.

For his part, José Antonio Colina, president of Veppex, told EL PAÍS: «It seems that everything we have been asking for, the Administration has done the opposite.» Colina also criticized what he sees as an attempt to criminalize Venezuelan immigration.

Republican representatives María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Giménez, and Mario Díaz-Balart did not respond to requests for comment for this report. The DHS also did not respond to the request.

However, Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz did respond. She told EL PAÍS that she is «deeply concerned about the recent ICE offensive» at airports. Her office added that a formal GAO investigation requires being requested by higher-ranking leaders in Congress.

What immigration changes have affected Venezuelans since 2025?

Since January 2025, at the start of Trump’s second term, the Government eliminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans.