Overview

• International human rights organizations have petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to secure the release of Venezuelan deportees held in El Salvador’s CECOT prison.
• Deportations were carried out in March 2025 under a $6 million U.S.–El Salvador agreement, citing alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang.
• A U.S. judge in Washington is moving closer to requiring the government to disclose details of the prison deal and potentially order the deportees’ return to the United States.
• The detainees, many of whom had pending asylum claims or protected status, have been denied access to legal counsel and contact with their families.
• El Salvador’s ongoing state of emergency has facilitated mass detentions under harsh conditions, drawing global scrutiny to the treatment of the deportees.