The United States has deported over 250 individuals, primarily Venezuelan gang members, to El Salvador, following an order from President Donald J. Trump invoking the Alien Enemies Act. A federal judge subsequently attempted to block the deportations, but they proceeded despite his ruling.
El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, confirmed the arrival of 238 Venezuelan and 23 Salvadoran gang members, including those affiliated with Tren de Aragua (TdA) and MS-13. This transfer is part of an agreement for the U.S. to fund their containment within El Salvador’s 40,000-capacity “terrorism confinement center,” a facility central to Bukele’s anti-gangs initiative.
The Trump administration labeled TdA a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) last month, citing unlawful infiltration of and hostility against the U.S. For instance, there were numerous instances documented of TdA gang members taking over apartment complexes in Colorado over the summer. The 18th-century Alien Enemies Act, historically invoked during wartime, was used to expedite these deportations.
U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg had expanded a ruling to temporarily block this action, aiming to reverse deportations in progress. However, President Bukele posting about the flights landing indicates they were beyond reversal. Following this, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Bukele for his cooperation.
El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) has been a focal point of international attention, being termed both a robust crime deterrent by conservatives and a violation of human rights by liberals.
