Overview

• The Justice Department has requested the dismissal of criminal charges against Henrry Villatoro Santos, previously described as a top MS-13 leader, to fast-track his deportation to El Salvador.
• Villatoro Santos' lawyer has sought a delay in the dismissal, citing concerns that deportation without due process could lead to indefinite detention in El Salvador’s controversial CECOT prison.
• The Trump administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used 18th-century wartime law, to justify expedited deportations of alleged gang members, including Venezuelans and Salvadorans, often based on questionable evidence.
• Federal courts have issued mixed rulings on the administration’s deportation policies, with some allowing removals while others demand due process protections for detainees still in the U.S.
• Advocacy groups and legal experts continue to challenge these actions, highlighting cases of wrongful deportations and the administration's refusal to repatriate individuals sent abroad despite court orders.