Unexpected turnaround: ICE buses carrying Venezuelan migrants return to detention center amid legal turmoil

A dramatic series of events unfolded late Friday evening in North Texas, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) buses carrying Venezuelan detainees suddenly reversed course and returned to a detention center, just as a legal battle reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

At least 28 Venezuelan nationals were loaded onto buses at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, and transported toward nearby Abilene Airport, some reportedly told they were being deported to Venezuela or El Salvador. The caravan, which included at least 18 law enforcement vehicles, had already passed the airport exit when it abruptly turned around and headed back to the detention facility.

The stunning reversal was captured on video obtained by NBC News and occurred just as legal proceedings surrounding their deportation intensified in Washington, D.C.

The Trump administration had sought to deport the men under the Alien Enemies Act, claiming they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan criminal organization. However, questions remain about whether that law, originally enacted during wartime, can be legally applied in this context.

As the buses were en route to the airport, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg convened an emergency hearing in response to concerns raised by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU had petitioned the Supreme Court to intervene, citing fears that ICE was preparing to carry out deportations in violation of an earlier court order.

In court, Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign assured Judge Boasberg that no flights were scheduled for Friday night, although he stated that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) retained the option to resume flights the following day.

Shortly after midnight on Saturday, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that the Trump administration must pause deportation efforts under the Alien Enemies Act—for now.

Upon returning to Bluebonnet Detention Center, the detainees were left in a state of confusion. Many had refused to sign removal orders handed to them earlier in the day. NBC News reviewed video footage of detainees holding up unsigned forms and protesting what they said was a lack of information and clarity about their situation.

Had any of the men signed and been deported within 24 hours, the administration may have violated a Supreme Court directive issued on April 7, which mandates a “reasonable time” for legal appeals.

White House officials defended the attempted deportations. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced the legal efforts to halt the flights, calling them “meritless litigation brought by radical activists.” Meanwhile, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller labeled the detainees “documented foreign terrorists.”

One of the men on the bus was Eduardo Daboin Rall, a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. legally in 2023 via the CBP One app—a now-defunct pathway for asylum-seekers. His wife, Judy Maldonado Rall, described a chaotic and traumatic experience.

Judy said her husband and others were abruptly pulled from their cells, handed removal orders under the Alien Enemies Act, and told to sign them without understanding their implications. Some were told they were being deported to countries they had never been to.

After learning Eduardo was on the bus, Judy drove over six hours from El Paso to Anson, only to discover he had been returned to the detention center.

“They didn’t know what they were signing. They didn’t know what was going on,” she said, adding that her husband was later told he would have been sent to El Salvador, not Venezuela, had the flight gone through.

Judy also stressed that Eduardo has no ties to gangs and believes he is being targeted due to his tattoos. ICE initially detained him last year following a domestic incident for which he received no citations. He was later released but re-detained last month for reasons that remain unclear.

Public records reveal no state or federal criminal charges against him. He remains in ICE custody with a court hearing scheduled for May 1 in El Paso.

In a video recorded from inside Bluebonnet, Eduardo expressed his frustration and fear.

“We are simply being unjustly judged because of our tattoos,” he said. “They told us they did not know where they were taking us. We hope they simply return us to our country safe and sound so that we can be with our families.”

As the legal fight continues, the incident highlights broader questions about the federal government’s use of wartime-era immigration laws, the transparency of ICE detention practices, and the rights of migrants who have not been formally charged with crimes.

Neither DHS nor ICE has publicly explained why the buses turned around or why detainees like Eduardo Rall were targeted for removal. The White House also declined to comment further on the matter.

For now, the Supreme Court’s ruling stands, pausing deportations and offering detainees a temporary reprieve. But for the families caught in the uncertainty, the future remains deeply unsettled.