By Ted Hesson
WASHINGTON – Over 200 suspected members of a Venezuelan gang have been expelled from the U.S. and transported to El Salvador, where they were placed in a maximum-security facility, according to statements made by the President of El Salvador on Sunday.
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump activated the 1798 Alien Enemies Act as a means to swiftly expel suspected affiliates of Tren de Aragua, a criminal group tied to activities such as kidnappings, extortion, organized crime, and hitmen for hire.
The following day, a federal judge based in Washington, D.C., halted the enforcement of the legislation for two weeks, stating that the act pertains to "hostile actions" conducted by another nation that equate to an act of war.
The Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced via a post on the X social media platform that approximately 238 suspected members of a Venezuelan gang have been brought into his nation. These individuals were then moved to the Terrorism Confinement Center—a large prison facility with a capacity for as many as 40,000 prisoners—for an initial duration of one year, which may be extended.
The exact timing of when the planes transporting the suspected gang members left the U.S. and landed in El Salvador was not clear, however, an X post by Bukele indicated that this occurred prior to the issuance of the U.S. judge’s order.
"Whoops, too late now," Bukele responded after the directive was issued.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in a tweet that over 250 suspected members of Tren de Aragua have been deported to El Salvador.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the Salvadoran government did not promptly reply to requests for their input.
The Venezuelan administration under President Nicholas Maduro stated their disapproval of the outdated U.S. statute being employed for the deportation of purported gang affiliates, asserting that such action would infringe upon the rights of immigrants.
Bukele and Rubio both mentioned that the U.S. had deported 23 members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13 to El Salvador as well.
On Saturday, The Associated Press reported that the U.S. has committed to paying El Salvador $6 million to detain 300 suspected members of Tren de Aragua for a period of one year.
The AlienEnemies Act—which gained prominence due to its role in authorizing internment camps for individuals of Japanese, German, and Italian origin during World War II—could enable the Trump administration to circumvent U.S. immigration courts and swiftly deport these immigrants.
The Trump administration has submitted an appeal concerning Saturday's legal ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
(Reported by Ted Henson and David Ljungren; Edited by Louise Heavens, Michelle Nichols, and Bernadette Baum)
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