The Trump administration deported over 200 Venezuelans to a mega-prison in El Salvador, defying a federal judge’s order to return them to the U.S., Reuters reported. The migrants, alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, were expelled under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law invoked by President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg blocked the deportations for 14 days, ruling the law applies to wartime hostilities, not criminal cases. He ordered any flights carrying the migrants to return to the U.S. However, the White House claimed it had the right to ignore the ruling, stating, “A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists.”
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele mocked the court order on social media, posting, “Oopsie… Too late,” alongside a laughing emoji. The migrants were sent to a 40,000-capacity prison for at least one year.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the deportations, urged the administration to comply with the court order and ensure no migrants were removed unlawfully. The U.S. government did not clarify how many were deported before the ruling.
