Over 200 Venezuelan migrants sent to notorious Salvadoran prison without legal access or public accountability, UN warns
GENEVA — The United Nations human rights office has raised alarm over the deportation of more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants from the United States to El Salvador, warning that the move violates international human rights standards and leaves detainees in legal limbo, cut off from lawyers and family members.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the deportations—reportedly carried out in March—raise “huge human rights concerns,” especially as the whereabouts and legal status of many deportees remain unknown.
“Lawyers don’t know where they are,” Throssell said. “In fact, no one knows where they are for certain, and we don’t know the legal basis.”
The deportations involved Venezuelan nationals alleged by the U.S. government to have ties to the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua criminal gang. The immigrants were transferred not to their home country but to El Salvador, where they are being held under a controversial arrangement between the U.S. and the Salvadoran government.
Detained Without Due Process
Human rights groups say the deported migrants were not informed they were being sent to a third country, were denied access to legal representation, and had no opportunity to contest their removal in a U.S. court. Throssell confirmed that reports received by the UN indicate that many of the individuals were unaware of the destination of their deportation until after arrival.
“Many did not have access to a lawyer and were effectively unable to challenge the lawfulness of their removal before being flown out of the U.S.,” Throssell stated.
According to reports, the deportees were flown out of the United States while legal challenges were underway, including a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge to halt the deportations. That order came too late—many of the deportees were already mid-flight.
The detainees were taken to the sprawling CECOT prison complex, a maximum-security facility that is the cornerstone of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s aggressive anti-gang crackdown. Though celebrated by some for lowering crime rates, CECOT has faced sharp criticism for its opaque detention practices and harsh conditions.
A $6 Million Deal and No Path to Freedom
The deportation agreement reportedly involves a financial arrangement between the U.S. and El Salvador. President Bukele has allegedly agreed to detain roughly 300 Venezuelan immigrants for up to one year in exchange for $6 million in U.S. funding.
“The UN Human Rights Office has information from family members and lawyers regarding more than 100 Venezuelans believed to be held in CECOT,” said Throssell, calling the facility one of the most secretive in the region.
To date, neither the U.S. nor Salvadoran authorities have released the names of the deported individuals or offered a timeline or conditions under which they might regain their freedom.
Legal Challenge Filed by Human Rights Groups
In response to the deportations, international human rights organizations on Friday filed a formal petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), requesting urgent measures to secure the release of the Venezuelan detainees.
“Families we have spoken to have expressed a sense of complete powerlessness in the face of what has happened,” Throssell added. “They are distraught at seeing their relatives labelled and handled as violent criminals—even terrorists—without any court judgment confirming these allegations.”
The case raises profound legal questions about the use of obscure U.S. laws and the outsourcing of immigration detention.
Alien Enemies Act Invoked for Deportations
The Trump administration, which authorized the deportations, cited the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a rarely used piece of legislation that permits the president to detain or deport nationals of hostile nations during times of war. The law has been invoked only three times in American history—during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.
Its most infamous use was during World War II, when it was used to justify the internment of Japanese-American civilians.
The Trump administration declared Venezuelan nationals affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang as national security threats under this law. However, critics say the allegations lack transparency and legal scrutiny.
The U.S. government has not released any evidence showing that the deported individuals were active members of the gang, nor have they provided records of any criminal convictions in the United States.
Origins of Tren de Aragua
Tren de Aragua, the gang at the center of the controversy, originated in a Venezuelan prison in the central state of Aragua. It has gained notoriety in Latin America and among U.S. politicians for its alleged role in drug trafficking, extortion, and migrant smuggling. However, experts argue that it remains a relatively small group whose impact has been exaggerated for political gain.
U.S. President Donald Trump referenced the gang repeatedly during campaign rallies to paint Latin American immigrant communities as infiltrated by dangerous criminals. Critics say the administration’s broad-brush approach unfairly stigmatizes entire populations based on the actions of a few.
“These deportations are part of a troubling pattern of criminalizing vulnerable migrant populations without due process,” said Maria Ortega, a Latin American migration law expert based in Washington, D.C. “It’s both a legal and moral failure.”
Broader Implications and Diplomatic Fallout
The deportation saga threatens to strain U.S. relations with Latin American allies and deepen criticism of American immigration enforcement strategies. Human rights advocates warn that detaining migrants in foreign prisons sets a dangerous precedent of outsourcing human rights responsibilities.
Moreover, the lack of transparency in the detentions and the legal ambiguity surrounding the Alien Enemies Act’s invocation has sparked calls for legislative reform in the United States.
Conclusion: Legal Limbo and Rising International Pressure
As legal proceedings continue at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, pressure is mounting on both Washington and San Salvador to provide clarity and accountability. Families of the deported remain in anguish, with no official channels to learn the fate of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, human rights monitors are calling for the immediate identification of all detainees, access to legal representation, and independent oversight of their conditions of confinement.
“This case is not just about Venezuelans or El Salvador—it’s about the fundamental rights of all people to fair treatment under the law,” said Throssell. “Governments must not use national security as a blanket justification to discard human rights obligations.”
