The Trump administration is under growing scrutiny after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited El Salvador’s controversial mega-prison, where 238 recently deported Venezuelans are being held. In a video shared on social media, Noem praised the facility—officially known as the Terrorism Confinement Centre (Cecot)—and thanked Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for helping “incarcerate our terrorists.”
Standing in front of cells packed with tattooed inmates identified as MS-13 and 18th Street gang members, Noem warned, “If you come to our country illegally, this is one of the consequences you could face.”
The visit underscores the Trump administration’s firm stance on immigration enforcement—even amid legal challenges and public backlash. The deportations were carried out under the rarely used 1798 Alien Enemies Act, allowing foreign nationals to be expelled with minimal due process. Critics say many deportees had no gang ties and were sent away based on vague accusations, such as having tattoos.
Backlash at Home and Abroad
Human rights groups and immigration attorneys have condemned the move, describing the conditions at the facility as inhumane. Inmates reportedly sleep on bare metal bunks in windowless cells. Some U.S. judges have raised serious legal and ethical questions. A Washington appeals judge even remarked that “Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act”—a comment that provoked outrage in Trump’s inner circle.
Meanwhile, families of the deported Venezuelans have come forward claiming their relatives had no criminal records and were wrongly targeted. Legal teams in El Salvador, working with Venezuelan authorities, have petitioned the Salvadoran Supreme Court to demand the detainees’ release.
Legal Setbacks and Political Motives
The U.S. government’s attempt to fast-track these deportations recently suffered another blow when a federal appeals court upheld an injunction blocking further expulsions under the 1798 law. The ruling, made by Judge James Boasberg, challenges the administration’s interpretation of the centuries-old statute, last used during World War II.
Despite this, Secretary Noem emphasized that the prison is “one of the tools in our toolbox,” as part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown. During his second term, Trump has vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. In January, he officially designated Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and El Salvador’s MS-13 as foreign terrorist organizations.
What Lies Ahead
Although illegal border crossings have dropped significantly under Trump’s watch, insiders say the president remains frustrated by what he sees as a slow pace of deportations. His administration continues to double down on aggressive immigration enforcement, with the deportation of Venezuelans to El Salvador serving as a symbol of his resolve.
The visit to the mega-prison signals a tightening of alliances between the U.S. and El Salvador as both leaders pursue hardline strategies against organized crime. But critics warn that human rights, legal protections, and due process are being sacrificed in the name of border control.
