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.
The prison, which can hold up to 40,000 inmates, was designed to house El Salvador’s most dangerous gang members.
The decision to send the immigrants to a foreign prison system instead of their home country is unusual and highly controversial. Critics argue that deportees should be sent back to Venezuela rather than to a country where they have no legal ties.
Inside CECOT: What awaits the deported immigrants?
CECOT, located in Tecoluca, approximately 72 kilometers east of San Salvador, has drawn international criticism for its harsh conditions.
- Inmates do not receive visits and are never allowed outdoors.
- There are no rehabilitation programs, education, or job training.
- Cells are overcrowded, with up to 70 prisoners in one unit.
- Government footage shows detainees packed closely together, heads shaved, and dressed in identical white uniforms.
El Salvador’s justice minister has stated that prisoners at CECOT will never be reintegrated into society.
How were the immigrants transported?
Over the weekend, video footage released by El Salvador’s government showed the detainees arriving in shackles at an airport lined with riot police. The men, handcuffed at the wrists and ankles, were forced to walk bent forward, while officers pushed their heads down.
A large convoy of buses, escorted by military and police vehicles and at least one helicopter, transported them to the prison facility. Upon arrival, the detainees were made to kneel on the ground, their heads shaved, before they were issued white uniforms and placed in cells.
Controversy and human rights concerns
While the Trump administration has defended the deportations, critics argue that the use of the Alien Enemies Act is legally questionable, as it requires a state of war—a designation that does not officially apply to the Venezuelan migration crisis.
Human rights groups have also raised concerns about El Salvador’s prison system, citing reports of torture, abuse, and medical neglect. The Cristosal human rights organization reported 261 deaths in El Salvador’s prisons last year during Bukele’s crackdown on gangs.
Neither the US nor El Salvador’s government has clarified what will happen to the detainees once their one-year detention agreement expires.
What’s next?
The move signals a new and aggressive approach to Trump’s immigration policy, using foreign detention agreements rather than standard deportation protocols.
While El Salvador has accepted the prisoners, questions remain about whether other countries will agree to similar deals—and whether the deportees are actually linked to criminal activity or wrongfully detained under a controversial executive order.
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