CARACAS, Venezuela — A group of Venezuelan mothers and grandmothers who were deported from the United States are appealing to U.S. first lady Melania Trump to help them reunite with children left behind in the United States, the Associated Press reported.
María Alejandra Rubio, who said she has not seen her 8-year-old son in five months, told the AP she had been led to believe by U.S. immigration authorities that she and her son would board the same flight to Venezuela. Instead, Rubio was deported while her son, Anyerson, remained in Georgia with a family friend. Rubio said in a telephone interview that Anyerson tells her he wants to return with her. The group said it sent a letter to the first lady last month asking for assistance.
The women, some of whom were sent back to Venezuela alone after being detained by U.S. immigration authorities, say their children were placed with relatives, family friends or in foster care. Syntia Caceres, another member of the group, spoke by phone about her son, who was detained in July, and about her 4-year-old granddaughter, Aurore, who she said was placed in foster care in Georgia.
The group is backed by Venezuela’s government, which has helped publicize the cases. The mothers and grandmothers say they were told during immigration processing that their children would travel with them, and that the separations occurred without clear explanation. They are asking the first lady to use her influence to help arrange meetings or other steps to facilitate reunification.
The appeals underscore complications that can arise when federal immigration enforcement and state child welfare systems intersect. When parents are removed from the United States and their children remain in U.S. custody, reunification can involve coordination among federal agencies, state child welfare authorities and courts, as well as international travel logistics for minors.
The Associated Press first reported the mothers’ appeals as Venezuelan officials and family members helped organize efforts to communicate with U.S. authorities and to draw attention to individual cases. The mothers’ accounts reflect a pattern of family separation that has drawn international scrutiny in recent years, though the specifics of each case vary depending on how custody and placement decisions were made after detentions.
Advocates for migrants and lawyers who handle family reunification cases say processes can be lengthy and legally complex, particularly when one parent is removed from the country and children remain under the jurisdiction of state agencies. The AP report did not disclose whether U.S. immigration officials had been asked about the particulars of the separations described by the women.
The group has not released any formal response from the first lady or the White House. Venezuelan officials have said they will continue to publicize individual cases and help families press for contact or transfer where possible.
The mothers’ appeals add to ongoing political debate in the United States about immigration enforcement, family separation and the responsibilities of federal and state agencies when migrant families are detained, deported or otherwise separated. The women say their primary goal is to be reunited with their children and grandchildren and to secure travel arrangements and legal documentation necessary for safe reunification.
