Dr. Ezequiel Veliz, a Venezuelan family physician, has been released from immigration detention in Texas after being held for 10 days by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Veliz had been working as a family physician in an area experiencing a doctor shortage before his detention. The circumstances of his initial detention have not been detailed by authorities.

The case highlights ongoing immigration challenges facing Venezuelan medical professionals in the United States. Venezuela has experienced a significant exodus of healthcare workers amid the country's economic and political crisis, with many seeking asylum in the United States and other countries.

Another Venezuelan doctor remains in ICE custody, according to reports. That doctor's detention has resulted in missed immigration proceedings, including an asylum interview that the doctor's husband attended in Southern California while his spouse remained detained in Texas.

The releases and ongoing detentions occur as immigration authorities continue processing cases involving Venezuelan nationals, many of whom have fled deteriorating conditions in their home country. The medical professionals' cases underscore the complex intersection of immigration enforcement and healthcare workforce needs in underserved areas.