The U.S. government has admitted something shocking: it does not know where 137 Venezuelan migrants are after deporting them under the Alien Enemies Act, a centuries-old wartime law.

These individuals were expelled without meaningful notice or a real opportunity to challenge their removal—a violation a federal judge has already ruled was unconstitutional.

According to court filings from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Trump administration claims it now has “no way of knowing” where these Venezuelans are, whether they are detained, free, or even alive.

Many were sent first to a foreign prison in El Salvador, then released as part of a prisoner exchange, after which the U.S. lost track of them entirely.

This is not just a paperwork failure. It is a human rights crisis.

Families have been left in the dark, unable to locate loved ones. Lawyers cannot contact their clients. And the U.S. government is effectively arguing that because time has passed—and because foreign policy is inconvenient—it should not be required to provide the due process the Constitution demands.

That is unacceptable.

The rule of law does not disappear at the border. Wartime powers cannot be used to make people vanish. And no administration should be allowed to deport people unlawfully and then wash its hands of responsibility.

We call on the U.S. government—specifically the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice—to immediately take action.

The government must make every effort to locate the 137 Venezuelans, disclose what is known about their status, ensure they are safe from harm, and comply with court orders requiring a meaningful opportunity to challenge their deportations.

This is about accountability, transparency, and basic human dignity. If the government can make people disappear without consequence, none of our rights are secure.

Sign this petition to demand the U.S. government locate and protect the Venezuelans it unlawfully deported—and to reaffirm that due process applies to everyone.

Photo: EPA