Overview
- The report, based on interviews with 40 former detainees and 150 relatives and lawyers, alleges routine beatings, sexual violence, psychological abuse, and punishment in a section called “la isla” for 252 Venezuelans deported in March–April 2025.
- Investigators say roughly half of those held had no criminal convictions and about 3% had U.S. convictions for violent or potentially violent crimes, contradicting official portrayals of the group as entrenched gang members.
- DHS defended the deportations in a statement framing the group as affiliates of Tren de Aragua and MS-13, while Salvadoran authorities have not addressed the specific abuse allegations raised in the report.
- HRW and Cristosal say both governments withheld information on detainees’ status and location, describe this secrecy as enforced disappearance under international law, and document at least 62 deportations with U.S. asylum cases still pending.
- The organizations cite at least $4.7 million in U.S. funding to El Salvador linked to detention costs, argue this makes Washington complicit, note many detainees were repatriated to Venezuela in a July prisoner swap, and warn of renewed deportation risks after TPS changes for Venezuelans.