Venezuelan Little League World Series team gets exemption to President Trump's travel ban

New York Times

a day ago

Youth baseball players from Venezuela, one of 19 countries on President Trump's travel ban list, have been granted a 'national exemption' to participate in this month's Little League World Series, an event official told The Athletic. Securing the exemption last week required the intervention of a Trump-aligned U.S. senator and the personal sign-off of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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Before then, the Venezuelan team's participation had been in limbo thanks to a visa process that had often been complicated by strained diplomatic relations with the United States. Venezuela's recent inclusion in the travel ban only added another layer of complexity. Last month, the policy blocked another youth baseball team from Venezuela from playing in a less prominent tournament in South Carolina, a situation that drew the ire of the St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras.
In an interview on Monday, Contreras, a three-time All-Star and one of baseball's most prominent Venezuelan players, lamented the perceived fallout from the travel restrictions.
'To be treated like we are criminals here, we're not,' Contreras told The Athletic. 'We're here to provide for our family, to chase our dreams, to do the right things.'
The Venezuelan Little League team learned of its exemption from the travel ban on Friday, just six days before it was scheduled to play in the tournament, which showcases players ages 10-12 and remains a signature event that is nationally televised on ESPN.
'The dream of our children will soon come true,' the team said in a translated Instagram post. 'Williamsport, here we come.'
In a statement, Little League spokesman Brian McClintock said, 'We are grateful for all those who supported these players throughout this process, including the U.S. Department of State.'
While the exemption was ultimately granted, it highlighted a shifting landscape for some international athletes entering the U.S. under the Trump Administration. Under the travel ban instituted in June, exemptions have been made for certain high-profile sporting events, such as the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and next year's World Cup. But those carve-outs did not cover other events like the Little League World Series.
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Sen. David McCormick, a Republican elected from Pennsylvania in 2024 and a political ally of Trump's on immigration policy, offered the Venezuelan team an assist. A native of central Pennsylvania who lives less than an hour's drive from the longtime site of the tournament, Williampsort, McCormick worked with the State Department to help ensure approval of the visas.
'I am thrilled my team and I were able to play a small role in making sure young athletes are able to chase their dreams and participate in this timeless Pennsylvania tradition,' McCormick said in a statement to The Athletic.
But even with McCormick's backing, securing an exemption ultimately required a green light from Rubio.
'In very limited circumstances, the Secretary may find an individual's travel would serve a United States national interest, consistent with Executive Order 14150, 'America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State,'' a state department spokesperson said in a statement. 'These exceptions may only be approved by the Secretary of State or his designee in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security or her designee.'
The visa process has typically been more complicated for Venezuela than for other teams attending the Little League World Series. In 2019, political and diplomatic tensions in the country prompted the U.S. to suspend operations at its embassy in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Teams seeking entry to the U.S. have instead had to travel to a neighboring country, Colombia, where the capital Bogotá is hosting the diplomatic mission to Venezuela. Once there, players and staff are subjected to interviews ahead of approval.
The travel ban has introduced another layer of uncertainty.
On July 18, Cacique Mara, a different youth team from Venezuela, could not travel to South Carolina for the Senior League Baseball World Series (ages 13-16) after its visas were denied. In a photo of a letter from the U.S. government to the team from Cacique Mara — posted to the team's since deactivated Instagram account — the reason given was the 'Immigration and Nationality Act,' which the letter said serves to restrict 'the Entry of foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.'
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'What pisses me off is they earned the right to be here,' Contreras said of the team that was barred last month. 'They are little kids chasing dreams. I put myself in their shoes because I was a kid once, and I dreamed of being in the Little League World Series once.'
Major League Baseball, which has been officially partnered with Little League International since 2017, declined to comment on that case. So did the state department, though a spokesperson noted the ability to 'make a determination regarding a national interest exception on a case-by-case basis.'
Another recent exception, McClintock said, cleared the way for a different youth baseball team from Venezuela, this one from the city of Valencia, to secure visas ahead of a Little League Intermediate Tournament in Livermore, Calif.
Since Trump's return to office, the Dodgers have made an official visit to the Oval Office. The league also reinstated Pete Rose from its permanently ineligible list, a move that came after Trump publicly called for it. And in the wake of Trump administration policy changes targeting such programs, MLB removed official language surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives from the league's website.
Still, MLB remains the largest and most diverse baseball league in the world. Its teams employ dozens of Venezuelan players. And when the league hosts the Little League Classic between the Mets and Mariners in Williamsport on Aug. 17, the game will feature Venezuelan players like Eugenio Suárez and Francisco Alvarez.
MLB officials were in communication with their Little League counterparts regarding the visa process for the Little League World Series, according to a source briefed on the matter, and offered assistance if needed.
On Monday, with the Barquisimeto-based Venezuelan team now bound for historic Williamsport, Contreras made a similar offer.
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'I'm here for them,' Contreras said. 'If something happens, I want them to know not to hesitate to reach out to me. I'm outspoken for justice. They are kids chasing the dream. Their dream is to come to Williamsport. That could be my brother out there. But I'm glad everything worked out and I'm glad they're going to be allowed to come to the United States.'
(Photo of 2024 LLWS signage: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)