The prison has capacity to hold as many as 40,000 inmates
President Trump has insisted he would be tough on immigration and illegal activity and has recently sent over 250 individuals to a prison that maintains a brutal reputation.
Trump has lauded his administration for its bold new step in the fight against illegal immigration and crime.
In a dramatic move, over 250 alleged criminals have been deported to El Salvador’s infamous mega-prison, a facility known for housing some of the most dangerous inmates, including Venezuelan gang members and notorious mass murderers. The Center for Terrorism Confinement, the largest prison in the Americas, has the capacity to hold up to 40,000 prisoners.
To facilitate these deportations, Trump leveraged the rarely invoked 18th-century wartime legislation—the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—originally used during World War II to justify internment camps for Japanese, German, and Italian nationals. This move marks a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to combat crime and illegal immigration.
When Trump returned to the White House, he signed an executive order declaring that the United States was facing an ‘invasion’ of immigrants tied to organized crime, providing his administration with the legal basis to enact the controversial law. Despite a federal judge attempting to block the order by ruling against the deportation, reports suggest that the flight carrying the detainees was already in the air by the time the decision was made.
The notorious prison where these individuals were sent was visited by CNN’s David Culver, who described the ‘spartan’ conditions in which the inmates are forced to live. Unlike American prisons, which are designed for smaller numbers, the cells at this facility are built to hold 80 inmates or more. Inmates spend 23.5 hours a day in their cells, with minimal amenities compared to U.S. prisons.
Culver’s team reported that the cells contained little more than tiered metal bunks, without sheets, pillows, or mattresses. The only furniture consisted of a cement basin for washing, an open toilet, and a plastic bucket for water. With between 10,000 and 20,000 prisoners currently housed at the facility, the 261 deported individuals from Trump’s administration are believed to be the newest additions to this harsh environment.
Of the 261 individuals deported, 238 are accused of having ties to or being members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, while 23 are alleged to be part of the notorious MS-13 gang.
Journalists who visited the facility reported there is no privacy or comfort for the inmates. They emphasized the harsh conditions, stating that the prisoners do not work, nor are they allowed books, cards, or letters from family members. Meals are served by stacking plates outside the cells, which are then pulled through the bars. Inmates are not provided with meat, and the only break from confinement comes during a 30-minute daily period when they are allowed to leave their cells for group exercise or Bible readings.
Critics have raised concerns over the violation of civil liberties, arguing that the prisoners’ rights are being infringed upon. Despite this, the government maintains that the rigorous crackdown on gang-affiliated criminals is essential for making the country safer.
