Washington, Mar. 16 (EFE).- President Donald Trump’s administration has deported approximately 250 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act, a controversial 1798 law last invoked during World War II.
Photo provided by the Presidency of El Salvador of guards from the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) transferring alleged members of the criminal gang known as Tren de Aragua on Sunday, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador. Mar. 16, 2025. EFE/ Presidency of El Salvador /EDITORIAL USE ONLY
The move, strongly defended by Trump, has sparked intense criticism both in the United States and internationally.
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to justify the decision, referring to the deportees as “monsters” and blaming the Biden administration for allowing them into the US. “We will not forget!” he added, thanking El Salvador President’s Nayib Bukele for accepting them.
The Alien Enemies Act grants the US president the power to detain or deport nationals from a hostile country without due process during wartime.
Under Trump’s executive order, all Venezuelans over 14 years old suspected of gang affiliation, and lacking US citizenship or permanent residency, are subject to immediate deportation.
Bukele responds as US courts intervene
Federal Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked the law’s application following a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Democracy Forward.
His ruling, effective for 14 days, mandated that any flights carrying affected individuals return to the US.
However, Bukele reacted to the ruling with sarcasm on X, posting: “Oopsie.. Too late,” alongside a laughing emoji and a news article about the deportations.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the first 250 detainees had already arrived in El Salvador. Bukele assured that they would be imprisoned at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), the country’s high-security mega-prison.
Additionally, the US complied with Bukele’s request to deport 23 MS-13 gang members wanted in El Salvador.
Rubio praised Bukele’s cooperation, calling him “the strongest security leader in our region.” He also emphasized that the agreement would reduce costs for American taxpayers, as Bukele had offered to detain the Tren de Aragua member for “a fair price.”
Legal and diplomatic repercussions
The ACLU has raised concerns over the legality of the deportations, questioning whether they violated the judicial order.
“We are investigating the timeline of these flights and expect a court hearing soon,” said Lee Gelernt, the organization’s lead attorney. The ACLU has demanded proof that no deportations occurred after the federal injunction.
Meanwhile, Venezuela has condemned the US decision, accusing Washington of criminalizing Venezuelan migrants.
The Maduro government issued a statement calling the use of the Alien Enemies Act “archaic and illegal”, likening it to “one of the darkest episodes of human history.”
The Venezuelan administration argued that its citizens are victims of US economic sanctions and opposition-backed migration policies.
The statement also criticized the deportation of minors, saying, “Never before has an official document summarily labeled children as members of terrorist groups.” Maduro’s government vowed to pursue diplomatic and legal measures to protect Venezuelan migrants.
Uncertain future for detainees
Bukele has confirmed that the deportees will remain in CECOT for at least a year, with the possibility of extending their detention. However, El Salvador has not clarified the legal basis under which they are being held.
“The incarceration fee will be low for the US but high for El Salvador,” Bukele stated, implying that the arrangement would help sustain the country’s prison system, which costs approximately $200 million annually. EFE
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