A 35-year-old Venezuelan man who built a life in Texas is now nearly 6,000 miles away from his wife and 5-month-old American son following his deportation to Liberia by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Carlos Tellez Sanchez, who had resided in the U.S. since 2021 after fleeing his home country, was sent to the West African nation on August 19.
Tellez Sanchez reported that he had no prior knowledge of Liberia until he was informed of his impending removal just hours before his flight. He described enduring a 15-hour transatlantic journey in handcuffs before being left in a remote area of the country. He currently spends most of his time at a hotel located more than an hour away from Monrovia, the capital, where he is staying alongside other deportees from nations including Brazil, Colombia, and Honduras.
Reflecting on his situation during a video call, Tellez Sanchez expressed his frustration, stating, “I do not understand how a country that considers itself a global hero can act this way towards a human being.” He characterized the experience as a “very difficult situation” that he would not wish upon anyone.
The man’s brother, Juan Tellez, who lives in Dallas, stated that the family has received no explanation regarding why Liberia was chosen as the destination for his brother’s removal. He described Carlos as a hardworking individual who did not deserve his current circumstances. Before his detention, Tellez Sanchez worked days at a car dealership and nights for Uber Eats to support his family. Records indicate no criminal convictions, only civil immigration violations.
Tellez Sanchez was initially detained in December 2025 during what he believed was a routine check-in appointment. He spent eight months in detention before being removed. Although an immigration judge granted him protection from return to Venezuela in 2021 due to fears of persecution, that legal order did not prevent the government from deporting him to a third country.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Tellez Sanchez had been deported once before his 2021 entry. Officials noted that he was released under the previous administration until his arrest last December. According to DHS, Tellez Sanchez declined “several opportunities to be removed to Mexico” and was subsequently sent to a “safe third country” in accordance with legal requirements.
DHS officials explained that when an individual files a court claim refusing to return to their home country, the government is legally obligated to identify a secure nation for their removal. The agency further noted that individuals who choose to return home are offered a free flight and a $3,000 payment. The Trump administration has increasingly utilized these “third country” deportation agreements over the past 18 months, establishing pacts with numerous nations, including South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Currently, Tellez Sanchez remains in Liberia without a clear plan for his future. The case highlights the expanding scope of U.S. deportation policies that have seen individuals sent to countries far removed from their origins. The report also notes that with ICE making a record number of arrests, president Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has intensified this summer. The report also notes that illegally five years ago, is one of them. The report also notes that the U.S, in a statement to late Friday. The report also notes that once before crossing the southern border illegally in 2021. The report also notes that expanding “third country” deportations, iCE sends Afghans and others to Africa. The report also notes that federal judge rules, trump cannot deport students for criticizing Israel.
Source: CBS News
