US Deports Alleged Venezuelan Gang Members to El Salvador
The United States deported hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members from Tren de Aragua to El Salvador on Sunday. This action came after President Donald Trump invoked the 18th-century Aliens Enemies Act to expedite their deportation.
However, a federal judge issued a 14-day halt on the Trump administration's use of the act, ordering any planes carrying the deportees to return to the US. The judge stated that he could not wait any longer, especially considering the information that flights were actively departing.
Despite the judge's ruling, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that "hundreds of violent criminals were sent out of our country" after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security had arrested nearly 300 members of Tren de Aragua over the weekend.
Meanwhile, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele offered to imprison the alleged gang members in exchange for the return of two leaders of the MS-13 gang, as well as 21 other Salvadorans to "face justice in their homeland." The US agreed to this exchange and will also pay USD 6 million to El Salvador to house the deportees.
President Bukele stated that the money will help sustain the penitentiary system and gather intelligence on MS-13 members. Secretary Rubio thanked Bukele and said in a post that the US "sent two dangerous top MS-13 leaders plus 21 of its most wanted back to face justice in El Salvador." He also mentioned that over 250 alleged members of Tren de Aragua were sent to El Salvador, which has agreed to hold them in their prisons at a fair price.
The White House has designated the Venezuelan gang as a foreign terrorist organization and stated that many of them have "unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.
8 Comments
Matzomaster
Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act is a dangerous precedent. It undermines the rule of law and sets a chilling example for other countries.
Karamba
The money the US is paying El Salvador will help them fight MS-13, which is a good thing.
Rotfront
This is a victory for law-abiding citizens everywhere.
Katchuka
Outrageous! Deporting hundreds of people without due process? This administration's disregard for human rights is appalling.
Noir Black
Finally, the government is taking action against these violent criminals. They have been terrorizing innocent people for too long.
Loubianka
This is not who we are as a nation. We are better than this. We must stand up against this injustice.
Eugene Alta
This sets a dangerous precedent for the future. We must not allow this administration to continue down this path.
BuggaBoom
This is a step in the right direction, but we need to do more to stop the flow of illegal drugs and immigrants into the US.