The Trump administration is preparing to revive deportation flights to Venezuela while simultaneously weighing military action against drug trafficking networks operating in the region, according to information gathered from multiple reports on December 2–3, 2025.
U.S. immigration officials have asked commercial airlines to resume transporting Venezuelan nationals who are subject to removal orders. Such flights were largely halted for years and later blocked entirely under the pandemic-era health authority. With that restriction no longer in place, federal agencies are working through operational challenges, the most pressing of which is securing airline participation. Some carriers have previously indicated concerns about security risks and the diplomatic consequences of operating routes tied to large-scale deportations.
The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly authorized a new removal strategy targeting Venezuelan migrants who recently crossed the U.S.–Mexico border and who lack any legal basis to remain in the country. The move is part of a broader effort by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to restart deportations on a scale not seen in several years.
Parallel to the immigration developments, President Donald Trump told supporters at a recent rally that the administration is preparing “land strikes” aimed at dismantling drug trafficking groups. He linked the proposed operations to the surge of fentanyl entering the United States, suggesting that action could come quickly and would focus on networks operating within the Western Hemisphere.
The combination of revived deportation efforts and the prospect of regional military strikes marks one of the administration’s most assertive policy shifts since the start of Trump’s new term. While agencies coordinate logistics for potential flights, analysts note that airline cooperation, diplomatic sensitivities, and operational risks will likely determine how soon deportations to Venezuela can resume.
As of early December, U.S. officials have not confirmed a timetable for either the renewed flight program or any military operation, but both initiatives remain under active consideration.
