Brazil denounces the restraining of deportees on flight from the US

Brazilian authorities insisted that U.S. agents take off handcuffs from a group of deportees transported to the South American nation on Friday, with a notable minister in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration labeling the action as “outrageous disrespect” for the rights of his compatriots.

The Brazilian government stated on Saturday that federal police, following orders from Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski, responded to a flight that made an unplanned stop in Manaus, Amazon, due to technical issues. The aircraft, which held 88 Brazilian passengers, 16 U.S. security personnel, and eight crew members, was initially set to land in Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais’ southeastern region, the statement added.

The passengers had the handcuffs taken off following the intervention of the Brazilian police, according to the government.

Upon receiving news of the incident, Lula instructed that the passengers be transported on a Brazilian Air Force aircraft to their intended destination, ensuring they can continue their trip with “dignity and safety,” as stated by a Brazilian Justice Ministry report. This flight marked the second this year from the U.S. carrying undocumented migrants deported back to Brazil and the first since U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, according to Brazil’s Justice Ministry and federal police.

The Trump administration has initiated a broad immigration crackdown, with the Republican president promising to use mass deportations to expel undocumented migrants from the U.S. The application of handcuffs and other restraints on migrants being deported on flights from the U.S. to Brazil has raised controversy in the South American country. Former President Jair Bolsonaro, a conservative and ally of Trump, also demanded an end to the practice.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not promptly reply to requests for feedback.