The Trump administration promised to start its mass deportation efforts by prioritizing the ousting of "the worst of the worst," referring to criminals who had committed violent acts. But as it invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act to deport over 200 Venezuelan migrants to a mega-prison in El Salvador, court documents show the vast majority of them did not in fact have a criminal record.
Little is known about the 238 Venezuelan men that El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele accepted in its mega-prison system known as CECOT, which has been accused of human rights violations. But through family denouncements and law firms, it has been confirmed that among the group there is a makeup artist, a soccer player, a food delivery driver and more. None of them have been previously accused of committing a crime.
