Judge seeks more information from Trump administration about prison deal with El Salvador
- District Judge James E. Boasberg is seeking more information from the Trump administration about terms for roughly 200 Venezuelan men held in an El Salvador prison since March 2025.
- The men were deported under the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act after being accused by the administration of membership in Tren de Aragua, a group identified as an invading force, although the evidence supporting their association and the classification remain contested.
- The deported men, many without criminal records and some asylum seekers like Andry Blanco Bonilla, face detention in El Salvador's notorious CECOT mega-prison, known for harsh conditions and human rights concerns.
- Boasberg plans to determine if the U.S. Holds “constructive custody” over the men to enforce possible return orders amid legal battles, while Trump claims he could repatriate individuals with a phone call, though cooperation by El Salvador remains uncertain.
- The court rulings have rejected the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act without due process; meanwhile, families and attorneys contest gang affiliations and hope for release or return of the men.
17 Articles
17 Articles
The megacarcel of El Salvador that encloses Trump's deportees: "It's Guantánamo but with steroids"
The prison has capacity for 40,000 people and was built to house suspected gang members. Trump has paid El Salvador to send 238 Venezuelan migrants there.Trump tells Bukele that he “studies” deporting U.S. citizens to El Salvador: “If we can, it will be good.” “Don’t stop the car,” the local said in the back seat. “Reduce the speed and you’ll see it.” Soldiers watched our vehicle as we passed by the detour and checkpoint. Among the trees, a few …
Judge Questions Trump’s Comments About El Salvador Deportations, Requests More Info
A federal judge said during a hearing on May 7 that he would ask the government to provide more information about the terms of its deal with El Salvador’s government under which dozens of Venezuelan nationals deported from the United States are being held in a mega-prison. District Judge James E. Boasberg also questioned whether President Donald Trump was being truthful when he said last month that he could secure the return of a deported man by…
The Perils of Offshoring Justice
President Donald Trump’s recent Oval Office photo-op with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who calls himself the “world’s coolest dictator”, was staged to unveil a shiny new “alliance” against crime. Both leaders congratulated each other for achieving something U.S. courts forbid at home: rounding up alleged gang members (including longtime U.S. residents with pending protection orders) and locking them away offshore. When pressed about a Mar…

Judge seeks more information from Trump administration about prison deal with El Salvador
A federal judge says he'll order the Trump administration to provide more information about its deal to house immigrants in a prison in El Salvador. Judge James E.
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