In brief
The families contend that their loved ones were unlawfully detained without due process following their deportation from the U.S., and they are now advocating for their release and safe return.
Family members of Venezuelan migrants deported from the U.S. to El Salvador are taking legal action against the Salvadoran government, claiming that their relatives were unlawfully imprisoned in a notorious maximum-security facility for nearly two months. A lawsuit lodged with the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights highlights the plight of 18 Venezuelan nationals who were sent to a high-security prison known as the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) as a consequence of a deportation agreement between the Salvadoran government and the Trump administration.According to the families and their lawyers, none of the detainees have been in contact since their deportation, with many holding pending asylum applications or other forms of humanitarian relief in the United States. Isabel C. Roby, a senior attorney at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, has described the situation faced by these individuals as one of enforced disappearance, as they were deported without proper legal procedures.Since the implementation of the deportation deal, approximations indicate that over 288 migrants, primarily from Venezuela along with a few Salvadorans, are currently detained at CECOT. However, the lack of transparency from both governmental bodies means that the true extent of the detentions remains unclear. The complainants are urging the Inter-American Commission to direct the Salvadoran authorities to release the detainees and allow them to return either to the U.S. or to another safe location.As the situation unfolds, advocates for immigrant rights are continuing to rally support for the families affected, emphasizing the urgency of the matter and the need for accountability.
