A recent report by the Cato Institute reveals that at least 50 Venezuelan men who were deported to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center entered the US legally, challenging the Trump administration’s claims on deported Venezuelans.
At least 50 Venezuelan men sent to a prison in El Salvador had entered the United States legally, according to a review by the ‘Cato Institute’ . The report analyzed immigration data for only a portion of the men who were deported to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) and found that 50 men reported entering the US with advanced government permission at official border crossing points.
This number aligns with broader trends among Venezuelan migrants, many of whom entered the country either as refugees or through a ‘Biden-era parole program’ that granted two-year work permits to those with US-based sponsors. The report highlights the absurdity of stripping these individuals of their status and imprisoning them in El Salvador.
Since 2015, over 4.5 million Venezuelans have fled their country due to economic instability and a humanitarian crisis.
The main reasons for migration are food shortages, hyperinflation, and lack of access to basic services like healthcare and education.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), most migrants head to neighboring countries such as Colombia and Peru.
In 2020, the UNHCR reported that over 5 million Venezuelans had been displaced within their own country.
The Trump administration‘s justification for sending the men to El Salvador, claiming only undocumented people were deported, has been thoroughly debunked by Cato’s analysis. The report reveals that 21 men were admitted after presenting themselves at a port of entry, 24 were granted parole, four were resettled as refugees, and one entered the US on a tourist visa.
The Trump administration implemented several key policies during its tenure from 2017 to 2021.
One notable policy was the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which reduced corporate and individual tax rates.
The administration also withdrew from various international agreements, including the Paris Climate Accord and the Iran nuclear deal.
Additionally, it introduced stricter immigration policies, including a travel ban targeting several countries with predominantly Muslim populations.
The harsh conditions at Cecot mega-prison have raised concerns about the treatment of Venezuelan deportees. Lawyers for the migrants have alleged physical and emotional ‘torture,’ and the use of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law meant only to be used in wartime, has been widely criticized.
Cato’s review includes information for 174 men whose cases have some degree of public documentation. The report highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement.
