The United States has deported 17 alleged gang members to El Salvador, despite ongoing legal battles over the removal process.
The deportees include individuals accused of being part of the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs, according to a statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Among those sent back were both Salvadoran and Venezuelan nationals, as confirmed by officials in El Salvador. However, details about their alleged crimes or any convictions have not been disclosed. The legal basis for these deportations remains unclear, especially after a US court recently halted deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a centuries-old law previously used only in wartime.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele shared a video showing the deportees being moved from a plane to a high-security prison. He claimed they were all dangerous criminals, including six convicted child rapists, but did not provide specific details. The Salvadoran government has agreed to accept the deportees in exchange for $6 million from the US.
Despite claims that these individuals are gang members, some of their families have denied any links to criminal organizations. Human rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have challenged the legality of these deportations, arguing that immigrants were denied due process.
A federal judge in Washington, DC, had temporarily blocked the use of the Alien Enemies Act, even ordering some deportation flights already in the air to return. However, deportations have continued, and the next hearing on the case is scheduled for Thursday.