Overview

• Roughly 250 Venezuelan men were sent to CECOT in March under a $6 million deal after being accused of Tren de Aragua ties under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.
• Most of the detainees were freed on July 18 through a U.S.–Venezuela prisoner swap that repatriated them to Caracas.
• Former prisoners report enduring systemic torture, including beatings, denial of food and forced sexual violence by masked guards over four months.
• Neiyerver Adrián León Rengel filed a $1.3 million damages claim with DHS for wrongful detention and physical and psychological abuse at CECOT.
• DHS and Salvadoran authorities reject jurisdiction and dismiss the allegations as unfounded, even as human rights bodies open inquiries.