Hundreds of immigrants alleged to be members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang have been deported from the United States to El Salvador’s mega-prison, despite a federal judge’s temporary order halting their removal.
The move, executed under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, has raised questions over the justification and legality of the deportations.
The transfer is part of a $6 million agreement between the Trump administration and El Salvador’s government, which has accepted the detainees into its highly controversial Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
The ultra-high-security prison, where inmates are denied visitation, recreation, and rehabilitation programs, is a key part of President Nayib Bukele’s anti-crime strategy.
Why were the immigrants deported?
The mass deportations were carried out under Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an 18th-century wartime law that allows the US president to detain or expel foreign nationals if the country is considered to be at war. This law has been used only three times in US history.
Trump justified the measure by claiming that the Tren de Aragua gang was “invading” the US.
However, no specific evidence has been provided linking the deported individuals to the criminal organization, nor have US authorities disclosed any crimes they may have committed.
The Tren de Aragua gang originated in Venezuela’s notoriously lawless prison system and has since spread throughout Latin America.
It has been linked to violent crimes, extortion, and human trafficking. However, the majority of Venezuelans migrating to the US in recent years have been fleeing economic collapse and political instability.
Why were they sent to El Salvador?
Under Trump’s deal, El Salvador will detain the deported individuals for one year in CECOT, the largest and most restrictive prison in the country.
