1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The mass deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a maximum security prison in El Salvador raises grave human rights concerns. The findings indicate that the overwhelming majority of those deported (179 out of 238) have no apparent criminal records, including individuals like Andry Hernandez Romero, a gay makeup artist with a credible claim for asylum. Sending asylum seekers and other migrants with no criminal history to such an extreme prison environment based solely on tenuous evidence like tattoos and social media posts is an unacceptable violation of due process. This extrajudicial action circumvents the legal immigration system and disregards court orders, setting a dangerous precedent of unchecked executive power. Even during World War II, when the Alien Enemies Act was last invoked, deportees were granted more rights to contest their designation. Imprisoning these individuals indefinitely in inhumane conditions without adequate evidence or legal recourse is a stain on American values of justice and human rights. I urge you to take immediate action to secure the release and return of all Venezuelan migrants detained at CECOT who lack credible criminal records or ties to gangs. Continuing to hold them in this notorious prison is an unconscionable violation of their basic rights and human dignity. This heavy-handed approach undermines the integrity of the US immigration system and its humanitarian commitments. A course correction focusing on due process and human rights is urgently needed.