More than 250 alleged criminals have been deported to the infamous El Salvador prison
Dozens of immigrants have landed inside the world’s ‘worst prison’ as the US President defies judges orders.
As many as 250 alleged criminals have been sent to the notorious El Salvador mega-jail, a move that President Donald Trump strongly pushed for. This mass deportation was made possible under the rare and controversial Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a piece of wartime legislation from the 18th century.
It’s certainly a bold move, drawing attention for its use of an old law in a modern context.
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The Alien Enemies Act, a little-known law, was last invoked in the U.S. during World War II to justify the internment of Japanese, German, and Italian citizens. Now, under President Donald Trump, it has resurfaced as a tool for mass deportations of non-U.S. citizens accused of gang affiliation or criminal activity — without the need for any formal court proceedings.
Trump’s administration is pushing for aggressive action, claiming the U.S. is under an “invasion” of immigrants tied to organized crime. His executive order, signed shortly after he took office, sets the stage for these controversial measures, further fueling the debate over immigration and national security.
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The controversial deportation of migrants to the maximum-security Counter-Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador was carried out under the Alien Enemies Act and after a deal brokered between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele. Bukele, known for his fierce stance on tackling gang violence in his country, posted images and videos on social media showing the handcuffed criminals being escorted from the jet to the high-security facility.
In his tweets, Bukele claimed that many of the deported individuals were connected to the notorious Venezuelan criminal group, Tren de Aragua, an organization known for its illegal activities spanning across multiple countries in Latin America. The images of their arrival have fueled the ongoing debate about immigration, criminal justice, and the relationship between the U.S. and El Salvador.
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Bukele also mentioned that the United States would be paying a “very low fee” for the deported criminals, while El Salvador would bear the higher cost. He emphasized that over time, this arrangement, combined with the labor of more than 40,000 inmates already working under his Zero Idleness program, would contribute to making the country’s prison system self-sustainable. He noted that the current cost of maintaining the prison system is about $200 million annually.
Additionally, Bukele proudly stated that the U.S. had sent 23 members of the notorious MS-13 gang, including two high-ranking leaders, wanted by Salvadoran authorities. This brings the total number of deported criminals to over 250, further highlighting the scale of the operation.
Bukele further emphasized the significance of one of the deportees, describing him as a high-ranking member of the MS-13 criminal organization. He claimed that this would greatly assist in finalizing intelligence gathering to target the last remnants of MS-13, including former and current members, as well as their finances, weapons, drugs, safehouses, collaborators, and sponsors.
In closing, the president reiterated that the collaboration with the United States would continue to strengthen their efforts in combating organized crime while making the country’s prison system self-sustaining. “May God bless El Salvador, and may God bless the United States,” he concluded.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, celebrated the move on Truth Social, calling the deported individuals “monsters” who had been allowed entry into the U.S. under Joe Biden and the Democrats.
“These are monsters sent into our country by Crooked Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats,” Trump declared. “How dare they!”
He continued, expressing his gratitude towards El Salvador, specifically President Bukele, for their understanding of the situation. “Thank you to El Salvador, and in particular President Bukele, for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to happen to the United States because of Democrat leadership. We will not forget,” Trump added.
As the situation escalated, a federal judge attempted to block the deportation order, issuing a ruling against it while the flight carrying the deportees was already airborne, according to VT. However, the Trump administration defended the action, stating it was carried out legally.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the controversy, remarking, “A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil,” as reported by Sky News.
