Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jail
Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
What happened
The Trump administration said Monday it deported another 17 alleged gang members to El Salvador for incarceration in the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center prison. The 10 Salvadoran and seven Venezuelan men were flown to El Salvador on Sunday evening from Guantánamo Bay aboard a military C-17 aircraft.
Who said what
The 17 alleged members of the MS-13 or Tren de Aragua gangs were not deported under President Donald Trump's invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a White House official told The Washington Post, but under normal immigration powers with deportation orders. One federal judge has enjoined deportations under the Alien Enemies Act but a second judge on Friday temporarily blocked Trump from "sending anyone with a final deportation order to a third country without first giving them a 'meaningful opportunity' to seek humanitarian protection in the U.S.," the Post said. A White House official said they had complied with both orders but did not explain how.
What next?
Several Venezuelan migrants in the first group deported to El Salvador were not gang members, their lawyers and family members said in court. Documents submitted over the weekend showed that the Trump administration has "granted itself the authority to summarily deport" alleged Tren de Aragua members based on "little more than whether they have tattoos or have worn clothing associated with the criminal organization," like "basketball jerseys from the Chicago Bulls," The New York Times said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
Political cartoons for October 27Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include improving national monuments, the NBA gambling scandal, and the AI energy vampire
-
Donald Trump’s week in Asia: can he shift power away from China?Today's Big Question US president’s whirlwind week of diplomacy aims to bolster economic ties and de-escalate trade war with China
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
Donald Trump’s week in Asia: can he shift power away from China?Today's Big Question US president’s whirlwind week of diplomacy aims to bolster economic ties and de-escalate trade war with China
-
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s rebellion: Maga hardliner turns on TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
-
‘Congratulations on your house, but maybe try a greyhound instead’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump wants to exert control over federal architectureThe Explainer Beyond his ballroom, Trump has several other architectural plans in mind
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
