Deported migrants labeled as criminal gang members by Trump administration, yet no names or proof disclosed
The current administration has swiftly expelled numerous immigrants without disclosing their identities or the evidence against them, drawing criticism from migrants' families and those claiming civil liberties are being trampled. This controversy revolves around the administration invoking a seldom-used wartime authority to expedite deportations, which they justify as protecting Americans from suspected gang members labeled as foreign terrorists by the president.
Despite increasing concern and skepticism from the public, administration officials have been tight-lipped, providing little specific information to allow outsiders to verify their assertions that dozens of immigrants expelled over the weekend have links to violent gangs or extensive criminal records. Furthermore, some family members have described a hazy and heavy-handed process that snatched people they feel have no organized crime connections, leaving them cut off from loved ones and support networks.
During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to reveal operation details about a counter-terrorism operation but expressed faith in ICE agents. However, Leavitt later touted the capture of Francisco Javier Román-Bardales, an accused MS-13 senior member, illustrating the conflicting responses from the administration.
The mass deportations were roundly criticized by Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups who accused the administration of overstepping authority. Sen. Richard Durbin argued that the administration is deporting immigrants without due process, basing decisions only on nationality.
In a court declaration, an ICE official confirmed that agents had thorough background checks on each of the 261 deportees, yet admitted many had no criminal records as they'd only been in the country for a short time. The administration, however, argued that the lack of a U.S. criminal record doesn't diminish the threat they pose, as it only highlights the danger attributed to a lack of complete information about them.
ICE failed to supply identifying information about some of the migrants mentioned in the declaration, but governments of both the U.S. and El Salvador have released videos showing some of them. One presumed deportee's mother told CNN en Español that she recognized her son in released Salvadoran government videos and insisted he had no gang affiliations.
The administration claims the deportees were sent to a prison in El Salvador under an agreement with the country's president. The administration stated that 137 of these immigrants were deported using the Alien Enemies Act, a law dating back to 1798 that grants the president broad power to detain or expel enemy nationals during wartime. This invocation of the Alien Enemies Act has set up a potential showdown between the executive and judicial branches, with the risk of a constitutional crisis if the administration defies a court order.
Additionally, Trump has suggested that the U.S. is under attack from foreign criminal organizations, including Tren de Aragua, which he has designated as foreign terrorists. The administration faces continued questions about whether it is overstating the risks posed by certain deportees, as senior officials previously stated that the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay would only accommodate the most dangerous individuals, but later court declarations showed many individuals held there were considered low-to-medium risk.
- Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, expressed confidence in ICE agents during a press briefing, while the administration's response to mass deportations highlights conflicting views, as seen in the capture of Francisco Javier Román-Bardales, an accused MS-13 senior member.
- Despite the administration's claims that the deported immigrants pose a threat due to a lack of complete information about them, some family members have disputed these assertions, describing a hazy and heavy-handed process that snatched people they feel have no organized crime connections.
- The invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, a law dating back to 1798, by the current administration for mass deportations has set up a potential showdown between the executive and judicial branches, with the risk of a constitutional crisis if the administration defies a court order.
