Washington: The Trump administration has deported more than 200 Venezuelans to a high-security prison in El Salvador, even as a federal judge issued an order mandating their return to the United States.
The White House maintained that it was not in defiance of the court ruling but simultaneously argued that it had the legal authority to proceed with the deportations.
“A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Court Blocks Use of Alien Enemies Act
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., had previously blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century statute historically used to detain U.S. residents of Japanese descent during World War II. Trump sought to use the law’s wartime powers to expedite the removal of alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang linked to violent crimes such as kidnapping, extortion, and contract killings.
During an emergency hearing, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg suspended the use of the act for 14 days, citing that the statute refers to “hostile acts” by a foreign nation that are “commensurate to war.” He further ordered that any flights carrying Venezuelan migrants under the act be redirected back to the U.S. His written order was officially recorded at 7:25 p.m. ET (23:25 GMT) on Saturday.
Deportation to El Salvador Amid Legal Dispute
The international news agency Reuters reported that it could not immediately confirm the exact time the deportation flights landed in El Salvador. However, footage released by the Salvadoran government depicted the deported individuals being escorted off a plane under heavy security during the night.
Oopsie…
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 16, 2025
Too late 😂 pic.twitter.com/nDHL6deLJq
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele reacted to the court order with apparent amusement. Posting on social media platform X, he shared a news headline about the judge’s ruling with the caption, “Oopsie… Too late,” followed by a laughing emoji. His post was later reshared by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who thanked Bukele for his “assistance and friendship.”
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Legal Challenges and Response
In a court filing on Sunday, the Trump administration acknowledged that “some” of the Venezuelans had been removed before the judge’s order but did not specify numbers or provide further details.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is challenging the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, has urged the government to ensure that no individuals were deported in violation of the ruling.
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“If anyone was turned over to a foreign government after the court’s order, then we would hope that the United States government would work with that foreign government to get the individuals back,” said Lee Gelernt, lead attorney for the ACLU.
As of now, neither the U.S. Department of Homeland Security nor the State Department has responded to requests for comment. The Salvadoran government has also remained silent on the matter.
Venezuelan Gang Members Held in High-Security Prison
According to President Bukele, the 238 Venezuelan men, alleged members of Tren de Aragua, have been transferred to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, a maximum-security prison capable of housing up to 40,000 inmates. Bukele stated that their detention period would last at least one year, with the possibility of extension.
