US Deports Alleged Gang Members to El Salvador Amid Legal Battle
The United States has deported 17 alleged members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and MS-13 to El Salvador, despite an ongoing court challenge questioning the legitimacy of the deportation process.
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the deportees, transported by the US military on Sunday night, include individuals accused of murder and rape. The move comes as the administration of President Donald Trump faces legal scrutiny over its use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel suspected gang members.
The deportations follow Trump’s March 15 invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime law, to target members of Tren de Aragua. However, a federal judge temporarily blocked the policy after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a legal challenge, citing concerns over due process. Some family members of the deported individuals have denied their gang affiliations.
While deportations under the Alien Enemies Act remain legally contested, the administration has continued removals through standard immigration enforcement measures. The White House has petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn the lower court ruling that blocked Trump’s use of the law.
Court documents reveal that US immigration agents used a checklist called the Alien Enemy Validation Guide to determine alleged gang membership. The ACLU argues that this method raises significant concerns over fairness and accuracy.
The checklist prioritizes factors such as prior criminal convictions, self-professed gang membership, and phone communications with known gang members. However, it also considers tattoos, clothing, and hand gestures—criteria that experts say are unreliable indicators of gang affiliation.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the process, stating, “There is a litany of criteria used to ensure individuals qualify as foreign terrorists and meet the standards for deportation.”
Deportee List and Criminal Convictions
A list of 16 deportees, published by a Fox News reporter and confirmed by the White House, shows that 12 had criminal convictions, one had self-admitted gang ties, and three were facing charges.
Despite legal obstacles, the deportations highlight the Trump administration’s firm stance on immigration enforcement and its controversial methods in targeting alleged gang members.
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