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4mo ago

Congressional Delegation Heckled During Visit to CECOT Prison Housing Trump-Deported Inmates

A bipartisan group toured El Salvador’s controversial mega-prison, where Venezuelan gang members deported under the Alien Enemies Act taunted lawmakers, highlighting treatment disparities and ongoing legal challenges.

U.S. military personnel escort an alleged gang member who was deported by the U.S. along with others the U.S. alleges are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the MS-13 gang to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, at the El Salvador International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador April 12, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
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Overview

  • A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation, including Matt Gaetz, toured CECOT prison in El Salvador, where inmates in the Tren de Aragua ward heckled and taunted them during the visit.
  • The delegation observed stark treatment disparities, with Tren de Aragua inmates receiving better meals, such as burgers and fries, compared to rice and beans for MS-13 inmates.
  • The inmates in the Tren de Aragua ward are Venezuelan nationals deported under President Trump’s invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act as part of a $6 million agreement with El Salvador.
  • Legal battles continue over the use of wartime powers for deportations, with courts previously blocking further flights after initial deportations of over 260 individuals, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
  • Human rights advocates and families of deportees criticize the policy for bypassing due process and exposing detainees to harsh conditions at the overcrowded prison.