US Deports Alleged Gang Members to El Salvador Despite Court Order, Sparking Legal and Human Rights Outcry
Seventeen alleged gang members have been deported from the United States to El Salvador, the State Department confirmed, in the latest controversial move by the Trump administration amid mounting legal battles over its aggressive immigration policies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group included members of the notorious MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gangs, though no names or evidence of convictions were publicly provided. The deportees were reportedly a mix of Salvadoran and Venezuelan nationals.
The removal of the detainees has stirred fresh controversy, particularly as it comes just weeks after a US federal judge ordered a temporary halt to deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked 18th-century law historically used during wartime. Rights groups argue the law is being misapplied to deny migrants due process.
While earlier flights under that order were grounded mid-air, US officials claim this latest deportation was carried out under standard immigration statutes—not the contested 1798 law.
Footage and Fury in El Salvador
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele posted a highly produced video showing shackled men disembarking from a plane, their heads forcibly shaved before being placed in stark prison cells at the country’s infamous Tecoluca mega-prison. Bukele called the deportees “confirmed murderers and high-profile offenders,” including six child rapists, but offered no further details.
US President Donald Trump reposted Bukele’s statement on X, slamming the Biden administration for “letting them in” and praising El Salvador for giving them “a wonderful place to live.”
Critics, including families of some detainees, say the deportees were wrongfully accused and lacked ties to criminal gangs. Human rights organizations allege many of the imprisoned migrants have been denied fair hearings, and some face abuse in overcrowded supermax facilities.
Legal Firestorm Grows
Earlier in March, more than 100 Venezuelans were deported under the Alien Enemies Act, sparking a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups. The lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of bypassing due process and using obscure legal frameworks to justify mass deportations of vulnerable asylum seekers.
In one court hearing, Judge James Boasberg demanded the administration halt deportation flights and return planes already in transit. Despite this, reports suggest deportation flights have continued under different legal justifications.
A follow-up court hearing is scheduled for Thursday, with growing pressure on the White House to justify its actions.
$6 Million Deal Raises Eyebrows
El Salvador has reportedly agreed to accept deportees in exchange for $6 million in US aid—raising concerns that the transfers may be politically or financially motivated.
With images of shackled men and prison cells circulating online, the situation has drawn international condemnation, fueling debates over US immigration policy, human rights, and the role of international agreements in modern deportation protocols.
As the Trump administration continues to redefine immigration enforcement, critics warn that the precedent being set could have long-lasting implications for how the United States handles migrants and asylum seekers during political crises and armed conflicts abroad.
