Nathali Sánchez last heard from her husband, Arturo Suárez Trejo, on March 14, when he called from a Texas detention center to inform her of his impending deportation to Venezuela. Later that night, he sent her a text message through a government app, expressing his love and hope for their reunion.
Mr. Suárez, a 33-year-old musician, had been in U.S. custody for a month, reassuring his family of his well-being. The couple anticipated that he would soon meet their daughter, Nahiara, born during his time as a migrant in the United States.
However, less than a day later, Mr. Suárez was deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, as indicated by an internal government list of detainees. This action coincided with the Trump administration's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime power allowing for the swift deportation of individuals deemed to be from an invading nation.
The administration claimed that Mr. Suárez and 237 others were members of a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, which it accused of contributing to an invasion of the United States. This marked a rare application of the Alien Enemies Act, previously invoked only three times in U.S. history, with the last instance occurring during World War II.
Despite the government's assertions, many of the deported men reportedly lack criminal records beyond immigration offenses, and few have documented ties to the gang. As they were expelled, detainees sought explanations from officials, who did not disclose their destination or the basis for their deportation.
The Alien Enemies Act grants the U.S. government extensive powers during wartime, but Supreme Court rulings affirm that detainees have the right to contest their removal. An appeals court judge recently criticized the lack of due process under the Trump administration, stating that even Nazis received better treatment under the act.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that individuals must be given the opportunity to challenge their deportations before being expelled. The administration contends that the men can still contest their incarceration, but this is complicated by their current location in El Salvador, where access to legal representation is limited.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador supported the administration's actions during a recent White House visit, rejecting calls to return a Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador. The Trump administration maintains that all deported individuals are members of Tren de Aragua, asserting that their expulsion is part of a broader strategy to remove serious migrant offenders.
While some of the deported men have faced serious criminal accusations, many others, including Mr. Suárez, have no significant criminal history. Investigations revealed that only a small number of the detainees had any connection to the gang, with most having only minor offenses.
All 238 men are set to spend at least a year in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center, a facility built by President Bukele. The U.S. government is financially supporting the incarceration of these Venezuelan prisoners, with the Salvadoran leader labeling their yearlong sentences as "renewable."
The use of the Alien Enemies Act has sparked legal battles, with civil rights groups arguing that the government has not met the necessary criteria to invoke the measure. The administration claims broad authority to define what constitutes a war or invasion and to identify gang membership.
This week, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to continue deportations under the Alien Enemies Act while the legal disputes are resolved, provided that detainees have the chance to contest their removals.
In a related case, the Supreme Court ordered the administration to take steps to return a Maryland man who had been wrongfully deported. The government had previously classified him as a gang member based on insufficient evidence.
As the situation unfolds, families of the detained men have expressed their distress and confusion over the lack of transparency regarding their loved ones' fates. The U.S. and Salvadoran governments have not released a list of those imprisoned, leaving families in the dark about their whereabouts.
In Venezuela, families have organized marches demanding the release of their loved ones, while the Trump administration faces accusations of engaging in forced disappearances, a practice condemned by international human rights organizations.
As the legal and humanitarian implications of these deportations continue to develop, the families of the detainees remain hopeful for justice and clarity regarding their loved ones' situations.