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El Salvador Informs UN That U.S. Remains Responsible for CECOT Prison Detainees

The acknowledgment undermines the Trump administration’s argument that the deported Venezuelans lie beyond U.S. jurisdiction.

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Minister of Justice and Public Security Héctor Villatoro, (R), accompanies Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, (C), during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) on March 26, 2025, in Tecoluca, El Salvador.

Overview

  • Salvadoran authorities told the U.N. that the U.S. retains exclusive jurisdiction and legal responsibility for over 200 Venezuelan men held at the Terrorism Confinement Center.
  • The statement contradicts administration claims that deported migrants have fallen outside U.S. courts’ reach and lost constitutional protections.
  • Lawyers for the detainees say the admission proves the government misled federal judges and are pushing for discovery of the $6 million U.S.-El Salvador detention agreement.
  • Federal injunctions have already blocked further removals under the Alien Enemies Act and ordered the return of individuals deported in violation of court orders.
  • Plaintiffs are seeking enforcement of existing repatriation orders and expanded litigation to secure due process rights for the deported Venezuelans.