El Salvador Admits U.S. Control Over Deported Venezuelans, Contradicting Previous Statements

The El Salvadoran government has admitted to United Nations investigators that the Trump administration maintains control over Venezuelan men deported from the U.S. to a notorious Salvadoran prison. This contradicts previous public statements from officials in both countries. The information was revealed in court documents filed by lawyers representing over 100 migrants challenging their deportations to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), El Salvador's mega-prison.

Salvadoran officials stated that the "jurisdiction and legal responsibility for these persons lie exclusively with the competent foreign authorities" in response to inquiries from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The UN group is investigating the situation of the men sent to El Salvador from the United States in mid-March, even after a U.S. judge had ordered the planes carrying them to turn around.

The Trump administration has previously claimed it could not return the men, arguing they were outside the jurisdiction of U.S. courts and no longer had access to due process rights. However, lawyers for the migrants argue the UN report proves otherwise. They state that El Salvador's confirmation reveals the United States controls the fate of the Venezuelans held at CECOT.

The administration agreed to pay $6 million to El Salvador to house 300 migrants. This deal sparked controversy when Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to quickly remove men accused of being members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. In a separate incident, the administration mistakenly sent Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the same prison, despite a judge's order prohibiting his deportation. Abrego Garcia was eventually returned to the U.S. and now faces criminal charges.