Five days into the week following the expulsion of over 200 Venezuelan men to El Salvador by the Trump administration, the mass deportation remains under the spotlight. The situation has drawn sharp criticism, with a federal judge, James E. Boasberg, reprimanding the administration for avoiding its legal responsibilities. There is growing skepticism regarding the assertion that all the men are members of a violent gang.
Judge Boasberg of the Federal District Court expressed disappointment that the administration has not provided the requested information on when the flights departed from the U.S. and when they arrived in El Salvador. The men were released into El Salvador’s largest prison, and the government there quickly released photos of the arrivals. If the judge finds that the government violated his order to return the men to the U.S., the Trump administration could face contempt charges.
Legal representatives and family members of the deported Venezuelans contest the administration’s claim that they were Tren de Aragua gang members. In a court filing, the Trump administration acknowledged that many individuals expelled under the Alien Enemies Act have no criminal records in the U.S. Robert Cerna, an official with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement’s field office, claimed that the men had been in the U.S. for a short time and that agency personnel had vetted each individual to confirm gang membership.
This assertion raises eyebrows, as Cerna also mentioned that the lack of specific information about the men ostensibly supports the notion that they are dangerous, suggesting they are terrorists with incomplete profiles.
Among the deported men with no apparent criminal history is Jerce Reyes Barrios, a former professional soccer player who sought asylum in the U.S. after suffering an injury related to a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. His lawyer asserts that border officials incorrectly identified Barrios as a gang member by misinterpreting his tattoo and a hand gesture in a photo.
Immigration advocates argue that the Trump administration is disregarding due process in pursuit of sensational deportation stunts. This stance alarms Americans who value justice and fair treatment of immigrants.
Some of Trump’s key supporters, however, seem unconcerned if some non-criminal individuals are caught up in the deportations. They argue that the priority is removing criminals from the U.S.
Stephen Miller, an advisor to Trump, stated that the administration does not need to wait for a crime to occur before deporting individuals. He bypassed a question regarding whether additional evidence would be presented to validate the claims that all those deported were part of Tren de Aragua.
Reyes Barrios initially interacted with officials from the Biden administration when he fled to the U.S. in September. He used the CBP One app to present himself to CBP officials at the border and was initially considered a maximum security risk due to accusations of gang affiliation. His attorney presented evidence to refute these charges, and he was moved out of maximum security. Ultimately, Reyes Barrios’ opportunity to plead his case in immigration court was lost when the Trump administration took control, and he was deported to El Salvador without notice to his attorney.
Source: https://time.com/7270418/venezuela-deported-reyes-barrios/
