Venezuelan Immigrants in Midwest Face Deportation Threat After Maduro's Capture
Demonstrators have been seen carrying banners with the message 'Hands Off Venezuela!' during protests opposing US military intervention. This sentiment echoes among Venezuelan immigrants in the American Midwest, who have significantly enriched local food scenes and culture, but now face an uncertain future due to new US policies.
Revitalising Midwestern Towns
From food stalls to revitalised downtown areas, Venezuelans have played a pivotal role in shaping midwestern communities. In Indianapolis, for instance, Juan Paredes Angulo and his mother, Andreina, fulfilled a long-held dream by opening a food stall in a former Coca-Cola bottling plant five years ago. They introduced authentic Venezuelan cuisine to a region more accustomed to Tex-Mex and Chinese takeout.
Juan expressed shock upon hearing about Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro's capture by US forces in a recent military raid. "At first we didn't believe it. We thought it might be AI. But then everybody we know started reaching out about the news. It's only in our dreams that this would be true," he said. "I feel joy, and ignorance, because I don't know exactly what could be happening there nor do I know is it absolutely positive."
Juan, along with his mother and sister, arrived in Indiana in 2015 as political asylees. He recalled, "I was 16 [when he left Venezuela] and for me to go to college [there] was a waste of time – many of the future opportunities were gone. We don't have an economy any more."
Growing Community Under Threat
Venezuelan immigrants represent the fastest-growing Hispanic group in the US, with hundreds of thousands fleeing poverty and repression over the past two decades. Indiana hosts one of the largest Venezuelan communities outside of coastal states and Texas, numbering nearly 8,000 people.
However, Maduro's kidnapping and the Trump administration's aggressive deportation initiatives have placed this community at risk. The administration claims that 2.5 million people have left the US in under a year, and now Venezuelans in the Midwest fear their time may be limited.
Following the 3 January attack in Caracas, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement indicating that Temporary Protected Status for over 500,000 Venezuelans has been ended by Kristi Noem. The statement suggested that with Maduro's overthrow, Venezuelans can return to their homeland. A DHS representative later reinforced this message, stating that Venezuelans in the US can "now go home."
This policy shift affects an estimated 1.2 million Venezuelan immigrants who have arrived in the US over the past decade, many drawn to the Midwest for its affordable living and job opportunities. TPS is set to expire for more than half a million Venezuelan immigrants on 2 October, threatening their ability to live and work legally in the country.
Economic and Cultural Contributions
As states like Indiana and Ohio grapple with declining US-born populations, immigrants have been instrumental in mitigating this trend. While nearly half of all Venezuelan immigrants reside in Florida, those in the Midwest have made substantial contributions to local tax revenues and cultural diversity.
According to 2024 US Census Bureau data, 62 of Indiana's 92 counties experienced natural population decline, with immigrants accounting for almost 70% of the state's population growth. The Midwest region saw a net international migration increase of 406,737 people, nearly ten times the natural population growth. Immigrants in Indiana are estimated to have contributed over $4 billion in taxes, supporting critical programs like Medicare and Social Security.
Many Rust Belt cities have leveraged immigrant-owned businesses, such as food trucks and restaurants, to transform former manufacturing spaces into vibrant food halls that attract people back to downtown areas. In Indianapolis, this strategy has proven successful, with the city ranking as more diverse than Atlanta, Miami, or Baltimore in terms of ethnoracial, linguistic, and birthplace diversity, according to a WalletHub analysis.
Danielle Shipley, an organiser at the Indy Action Coalition, emphasised the importance of immigration: "With Indiana being as rural as we are, having immigration really opens up our eyes to cultures that aren't American. We have to change some of our politics, the way that we view the world. Just because Maduro isn't technically in Venezuela, in charge, his party is still there. Someone seeking asylum here because it's not safe to go back to Venezuela is not yet safe to be [there]."
Rising Fears and Confusion
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants has sparked significant anxiety in Indiana, particularly among Venezuelans, who constitute the largest group of undocumented immigrants in the US. By mid-September, over 800 individuals, many detained on immigration charges, were held by ICE at the Marion County jail in Indianapolis. Earlier incidents, such as the arrest of a Venezuelan national with alleged gang ties, have heightened concerns.
Karla López Owens, a naturalised citizen and attorney running for local office in Indianapolis, voiced her worries: "Beyond being scared, everyone is really confused; what we're seeing right now is going to have devastating effects on not just the economy but the culture. I've been living here for 25 years and seen how immigrants come into dilapidated parts of town and make these areas flourish again. I'm really scared about what [the immigration crackdown] is going to mean."
The Venezuelan community in Indiana is primarily concentrated in Noblesville and Carmel, suburbs of Indianapolis in Hamilton County, which is the fastest-growing county in the state. Reports from Venezuela indicate that deportees face harassment from authorities, with accusations of betraying the patriarchy. Recent days have seen paramilitaries on the streets searching for American nationals, prompting the US State Department to advise citizens to leave due to security concerns.
Juan Paredes Angulo, who hails from Maracay near Caracas, reflected on the situation: "After 10 years of watching the country going deeper and deeper into the ground, the idea of going back to Venezuela has never been on my table. But you never know." He remains hopeful about applying for a green card soon but acknowledges the uncertainties: "Venezuela's resources could become more accessible and that would be a boost to the economy, right? But I don't know how that can happen easily."
