The Cato Institute’s report has also generated quite a firestorm of criticism regarding the deportation of Venezuelan migrants. These migrants are now being transferred to the infamous Ciudad Barrios prison in El Salvador. During the previous Trump administration, more than 200 of these alleged gang members were deported to the Cecot mega-prison, infamous for its brutal treatment. Among those deported, at least 50 Venezuelan men had originally come to the United States through legal and orderly means, with advance permission.
Lawyers for the deportees have accused the migrants at Cecot of being subjected to physical and psychological “torture.” This claim raises troubling allegations. It focuses on the brutalization of people who were lawfully in the U.S. and had their legal status revoked and then taken to a facility notorious for its brutality.
In the review by the Cato Institute, census data on 174 males deported to Cecot was explored. It determined that at least 90 of these cases specifically explained how these individuals entered the United States. Of these, 50 men claimed to have entered legally, through official border crossings.
The Trump administration has thus far defended these deportations by claiming that many of the Venezuelan men were involved in gangs. It’s important to acknowledge that evidence to prove these assertions mostly rests on overtly visible tattoos. Hundreds of men wear them like tattoos, honoring the homes they fled in Venezuela. One heartbreaking example of the fate that has befallen many is Andry José Hernández Romero, a previously promising young makeup artist. His tattoos have all been mischaracterized as gang tattoos.
“The proportion isn’t what matters the most: the astounding absolute numbers are,” stated the report from Cato Institute, highlighting the significant implications of these deportations.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Trump administration can continue its efforts to revoke temporary protected status (TPS) for Venezuelans. Ending TPS would likely put about 350,000 more people at risk of this kind of deportation.
Dozens of legal immigrants in El Salvador have already lost their legal status and ended up in jail. This flotilla of circumstance creates a toxic environment for arbitrary, capricious, or illegal action. The Trump administration has refused to release full records on over 200 Venezuelans sent to Cecot. This lack of transparency creates a major accountability gap.
That story is still developing, as advocates arguing for more transparency and accountability seek justice for people harmed by these bad policy choices. Civil rights advocates and immigrant rights advocates are concerned about the larger precedent these deportations set. Their concern extends specifically to those who used to have legal status in the US.