They would have been coerced to sign the self -support document at the entrance of the aircraft, after the release of the handcuffs
Alexandre Rezende and Renan Marra – Brazilians who landed this week at Belo Horizonte International Airport, in Confins (MG), from the United States, say they left the country after being coerced this year by the Government of Donald Trump. The measure, they say, sought to accelerate the departure of the group from the American territory.
Brazilians also complain about transport conditions and report abuse during the deportation process. The flight departed from the state of Louisiana and arrived in Brazil at 6:13 pm on Wednesday (27), after scale in the Dominican Republic. The landing, witnessed by the Folha report, was fast. The group crossed the gate in less than 30 minutes. They wore uniforms used in detention centers and brought only one bag with a few belongings. Not all carried documents.
On the way out, they were greeted by UN and the Ministry of Human Rights, who were surprised by the conditions in which the group was.
The US government hired the goal to bring deported to Brazil. To the Panel SA column the airline said it only chartered the Boeing 737 Max-8 to transport volunteers deported. However, Brazilians who were in the aircraft said most of the group had been in the country for months and that none of them opted to leave the US territory.
According to reports, they would have been coerced to sign the self -support document at the entrance of the aircraft, after the release of the handcuffs by the ICE (Federal Immigration and Customs Agency, the US Immigration Service).
Sought, the US embassy in Brasilia said the country deports people who violated local immigration laws. He also said that deportation flights are made safely, respectfully and frequently. The representation did not answer, however, to the questions about maltreatment reports.
“Illegal foreigners requesting departure through the application may be entitled to free travel for their countries, a $ 1,000 bonus and a family reunion during the match. In addition, they can maintain the eligibility to legally return to the US,” the diplomatic representation in a statement wrote.
One of the deported was Erivelton Natalino da Silva, who had lived with his wife in the US for over 20 years – she remains in the country with two daughters of the couple. Silva says they had the social number, necessary for permanent residents or temporary workers, and a stable life. In January, according to him, they received the approval of another five years of stay while waiting for American citizenship.
Everything changed on June 6, according to his report, when he was approached and arrested. The family lawyer who took care of the definitive residence process filed a petition to prevent deportation, but it was no use.
According to his wife, Erivelton had already been subjected to three attempts at deportation, but because he had a permanence process in court, he was prevented from boarding. Then, the exit found by the immigration service agents was to put the man on the voluntary deportation flight, supposedly clandestinely. On Wednesday (27), without documents, he landed in Minas Gerais to the surprise of the family, who did not know of his whereabouts and still had hope that the situation would be reversed.
Carlos Fagundes is another Brazilian who was on the flight. He had already passed eight different prisons during the three months he was detained. While waiting for the deportation, he said he made the routes among always handcuffed prisons, on buses and without food or water.
“We stayed up to 20 hours without eating or drinking anything. We saw the food, the bottle of water, but they didn’t want to give us. On the flight we left at 6am and only went to midnight,” he said. “In the US there is no law or immigration.”
In the detention centers, he said, the Brazilians were huddled. “It was impossible to stand. If we stayed, it touched the others. It was many days without taking a shower and without brushing our teeth.”
With no money or passport, Carlos was waiting for his wife in the airport lobby to return to his home in Espírito Santo.
Immigrants also report that, like personal hygiene, food was restricted. A colleague from Carlos who declined to be named said the group’s meals consisted of three sandwiches for all day.
Some of the passengers showed the report a copy of a document that they have been required to sign with instructions to withdraw the aid of $ 1,000. The paper is the email address of Project Homecoming, the name in English of the program for the voluntary exit.
Still at Confins airport, in front of a exchange rate, some tried to find out where they could withdraw the value of help. While others, who still took some dollars, tried to convert to finish the trip.
Like Carlos Fagundes, Erivelton should have difficulty receiving the promised assistance by the US government. To be able to access the amount, the person needs to send proof that he is already in the country of origin, as well as a photo of the passport, a document they no longer have.
