San Luis Talpa, El Salvador — In a controversial move clouded by legal challenges, a U.S. deportation flight carrying over 200 Venezuelans, including alleged members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang along with individuals linked to the international gang MS-13, landed in El Salvador. This came hours after a U.S. judge had issued an order halting such actions.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador announced on social media early Sunday that the 238 gang members were deported by the U.S. government as part of an intense crackdown on violent gangs. These deportations were conducted despite a U.S. federal judge’s order banning the use of a historical wartime statute to justify such actions.
The contentious nature of the flight’s timing was noted by President Bukele who quipped, “Oops… Too late,” on social media in response to the U.S. judge’s order. The deportees were immediately transferred to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), a detention facility intended to hold criminal gang members for a renewable one-year term.
This move comes under a strategic partnership termed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world.” Rubio lauded Bukele as “the strongest security leader in our region,” underscoring the robust security collaboration between the two nations.
The use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 by the Trump administration was a focal point of legal and international controversy. The act permits the detention and deportation of individuals deemed as threats to national security without standard judicial proceedings. On the night prior to the deportation, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg intervened to temporarily stop the enforcement of Trump’s proclamation under this act.
Venezuela has voiced its disapproval, condemning the application of such wartime measures as a base injustice that criminalizes Venezuelan migration. Despite this, U.S. officials proceeded with the deportation, promoting a narrative of removing dangerous criminals from the country.
Upon their arrival, the deportees were placed in the newly constructed Cecot, a facility capable of housing up to 40,000 inmates and a centerpiece in Bukele’s aggressive campaign against organized crime and gang violence. However, human rights organizations have raised significant concerns over the treatment and conditions within the mega-jail.
The relationship between the U.S. and El Salvador appears to be strengthened, as evidenced by Rubio’s second diplomatic visit to the country. During his February tour, Bukele initially offered to accept U.S. deportees, positing it as a means to fund the expansive Cecot facility.
These latest deportations align with ongoing efforts under President Trump to significantly curb illegal immigration in the United States, invoking declarations identifying Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as foreign terrorist organizations. His administration has faced both praise for its tough stance and criticism for not achieving its aggressive deportation targets.
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