At least 165 Venezuelans have been deported by Trinidad and Tobago in recent weeks. Pushing a xenophobic narrative targeting Venezuelans and associating them with COVID-19, the government announced it will deport Venezuelans who have “entered illegally” and those with legal residency found to be helping them. This fuels a climate of fear which risks pushing people underground and away from health services. We are calling on Trinidad and Tobago to refrain from deporting people in search of protection and to work with partners to find human rights-based solutions for them.
