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2mo ago

U.S. Deportation of Alleged Gang Members to El Salvador Draws Legal and Human Rights Criticism

The Trump administration sent 261 alleged gang members to El Salvador's Cecot mega-prison, defying a U.S. court order and raising concerns over harsh prison conditions and due process violations.

In this handout photo obtained March 16 from El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office, Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the US government.
Prisoners, photographed by CNN in late 2024, are kept in group cells for 23.5 hours a day.
Inmates look on as they remain in a cell at the Counter-Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) mega-prison.

Overview

  • The U.S. deported 261 individuals, mostly alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, to El Salvador's Cecot prison under a $6 million agreement.
  • A U.S. federal judge had issued an order to halt the deportations, but the Trump administration proceeded, claiming the order was unenforceable.
  • Cecot prison is notorious for its harsh conditions, including overcrowding, indefinite detention without due process, and a lack of basic rights for inmates.
  • Human rights organizations have condemned the deportations and Cecot's treatment of prisoners, citing violations of international human rights standards.
  • El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has used the prison and zero-tolerance policies to solidify his strongman image, despite criticism of authoritarian tactics and erosion of civil liberties.