Summary

The U.S. deported 238 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

Internal documents show 75% had no known criminal record. Some, like a makeup artist and a soccer player, had pending asylum claims.

The Trump administration claimed links to the Tren de Aragua gang, citing tattoos and social media, but lawyers and experts say evidence is flimsy.

Despite a court order to halt the deportation, flights proceeded. Critics warn the move bypasses due process and violates international human rights standards.

  • xantonin@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    I feel like not enough people are outraged about spending $6 million taxpayer dollars to El Salvador for these “prisoners” either. Where is the government efficiency?

    • ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      They’re going to up the cost of El Salvadoring to the billions, and then if you mention that it costs billions to El Salvador innocent people, dumb republicans will think you’re pulling their legs, because “billion” is clearly a made up word to smear those fine people in the party.

      (Yes, there are people who think “Billion” was made up for a gag in one of the Austin Powers movies.)

  • Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee
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    6 days ago

    I remember looking at a documentary about America in the early colonial days in the 17th century. Apparently it took a while for racism to truly become a thing, and the absolute first black people to come in were also indentured servants. After racism started becoming codified at one point they reenslaved some blacks who were freed or never slaves to begin with.

    What we are seeing is the precedent that was set back then being reused. Pulling absolute random people and just selling them into slavery.

    It also makes sense that most of the people have no criminal records. People who are violent criminals, or have a violent criminal history, are often difficult to control. By getting people who have no criminal history and treating them like murderers and drug smugglers, makes it easy to dehumanize them and demonize them but also still easy to control.

  • WideEyedStupid@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    I just can’t imagine how hopeless these people must feel. It’s a fucking nightmare. You’re accused of something you haven’t done (not that anyone deserves this, even if they are criminals), there’s no way for you to even make anyone listen to you and you’re dumped in a prison in a foreign country with no hope of ever getting out? It’s just… jesus christ, the injustice of it all is simply heartbreaking.

    To think that millions of people are actually cheering for this is terrifying. If I were American, I’d be terrified. If “illegals” can’t have due process, then nobody has due process, because how are you going to prove you’re a citizen without due process? They can literally grab you off the street and send you to a concentration camp and there’s nothing you can do about it, because all they have to do is claim you’re illegal.

    I honestly don’t understand how all these people in power are even still alive.

    • jam12705@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      Well shit, with that logic we should lockup and deport all the brown people!

      Whats that? You say your innocent? Well some guy on the Internets says you could have bribed your criminal records away so you must be lying.

      Say Shardkprime, what color is your skin? Since we can’t prove you don’t have a criminal record you better be able to prove your not on of them.

  • diffusive@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    If I was in the leadership of Tren de Aragua gang I would start incentivising the use of svastica, iron cross. The number of people with these tattoos would clearly be part of the gang, right?

    • Shardikprime@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      If you were part of the tren de Aragua leadership you wouldn’t even know what a swastika is and what history it has.

      You’d probably have a body count in the high triple digits or more and had experience with torture and mutilation since a young age

      You don’t even know what you are talking about

      • diffusive@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        Dude you don’t know me nor where I grew up

        Their leader started illegal activities when he was 17 (wiki) so unlikely to have experienced torture and mutilation since a young age. Also no matter the industry, leaders of large organisations (from religions to criminal gangs) are never stupid and/or ignorants

        But this is beyond the point, it was clearly something that will never happen

        But, sure, say a random thing to a stranger on internet to look badass when you don’t know anything anyway

  • dan1101@lemm.ee
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    7 days ago

    I hope we get them back all unharmed and I hope this takes down the Trump presidency.