A Venezuelan family is advocating for the return of their 2-year-old daughter, Maikelys Antonella Espinoza Bernal, after U.S. authorities deported her mother, Yorely Bernal, to Venezuela without the child. The girl's father, Maiker Espinoza, was imprisoned in El Salvador in March.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the toddler remains in foster care in the United States. Officials stated that the child was removed from her parents and the manifest of her mother’s deportation flight for her own “safety and welfare.”
The Trump administration alleges that the girl's parents are affiliated with Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, but has not provided evidence to support this claim. The case highlights a pattern of family separations that have occurred during the Trump administration and have continued in limited instances under the Biden administration.
Yorely Bernal, 20, entered the United States with her partner and child in May 2024. Family members report that authorities deemed their tattoos suspicious, leading to their detention and the child's placement in foster care.
Neither parent has a criminal record in Venezuela or Peru, and the only offenses recorded in the United States are related to their immigration status. The couple had fled economic and political turmoil in Venezuela, seeking better opportunities in the U.S.
After being deported, Ms. Bernal informed her mother that immigration officials had indicated Antonella would accompany her. However, upon boarding the flight to Caracas, the child was not present.
Ms. Inciarte, the toddler's grandmother, has been in contact with foster parents and case workers, expressing concern for the child's well-being as she has been moved between multiple foster homes. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that the child is under the supervision of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
U.S. officials have not clarified when or if the child will be reunited with her family. The Trump administration has justified the rapid deportations of Venezuelans by claiming an invasion of Tren de Aragua into the U.S., linking it to a broader immigration crackdown.
Ms. Bernal and Mr. Espinoza's journey to the U.S. involved crossing multiple countries and facing significant challenges, including being briefly kidnapped by traffickers in Mexico. Their families describe them as individuals seeking a better life for their daughter amid worsening conditions in their home country.
Concerns have been raised regarding the psychological impact on Antonella, who has shown signs of distress and confusion during her time in foster care. Ms. Inciarte fears the effects of separation and instability on the young child.