The U.S. administration deported over 250 irregular migrants, allegedly linked to a Venezuelan gang, to El Salvador despite a federal judge’s ruling to halt the action.
The Trump administration’s actions on irregular immigration have remained a top topic in the U.S. public discourse. Officials claimed that over 250 irregular migrants, allegedly associated with the Venezuelan gang “Tren de Aragua,” were deported yesterday, despite a federal judge’s order to suspend the action. The migrants were transferred to El Salvador, where prior agreements were made.
Authorities stated that under a presidential executive order signed by Trump, which activated deportation powers used during wartime, the migrants allegedly connected to the gang were quickly deported.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained on his X account, “We’ve sent over 250 foreign enemies of Tren de Aragua, and El Salvador agreed to keep them in their very good prisons for a fair fee.” El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, commenting on federal judge James Boasberg’s ruling, wrote on X, “Oh… Too late.” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also shared this post.
Trump had previously invoked a law used only during wartime to expedite the deportation of migrants linked to the “Tren de Aragua” gang. The 1798 “Alien Enemies Act” gives the president extraordinary powers to target and deport undocumented immigrants. This law had been used during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II to deport “active foreign enemies.”
Trump’s executive order targeting “Tren de Aragua” described the gang as a “foreign terrorist organization,” with the aim of capturing and immediately deporting individuals connected to it.