Flight of Repatriated Nationals from the United States

The Brazilian Government, through contacts between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and authorities from the Federal Police and the Air Force in Manaus and Brasília, has gathered detailed information about the degrading treatment inflicted on Brazilian men and women who were handcuffed, both hands and feet, during a repatriation flight operated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), bound for Belo Horizonte. The flight made a stopover at Eduardo Gomes Airport in Manaus, in the state of Amazonas.

The indiscriminate use of handcuffs and restraints violates the terms of the understanding with the United States, which stipulates that repatriated individuals must be treated with dignity, respect, and humanity.

Brazilian authorities did not permit the chartered flight to proceed to Belo Horizonte on Friday night due to the use of cuffs and restraints, the poor condition of the aircraft—including a malfunctioning air conditioning system, among other issues—and the protest by the 88 nationals on board against the degrading treatment they had received. The group remained in Manaus overnight and departed yesterday afternoon on a Brazilian Air Force flight to the capital of Minas Gerais.

The Brazilian Government deems it unacceptable that the conditions agreed upon with the U.S. Government were not upheld. Since 2018, Brazil has consented to repatriation flights to reduce the length of time its nationals spend in U.S. detention centers for irregular immigration, once no further legal recourse is available.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will formally request clarification from the U.S. Government and remains vigilant regarding any changes in U.S. immigration policies, in order to ensure the protection, safety, and dignity of Brazilian nationals residing in that country.