International

Migrants Behind The Bars: El Salvador’s Mega Prison Concerns

Massive deportation of presumed member of the infamous gang Tren de Aragua is rasining concerns over the humans rights as no trial is put place to judge their case.

Mayka Savard Laliberte • May 21, 2025

The trump administration used a law that hasn’t been used since World War II to send these persons, claiming that they are all terrorists and violent gang members. They used the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law allowing foreign nationals to be removed during wartime.

The government has only leaked a little information about the men; this lack of transparency has raised significant legal and human rights concerns. The migrant’s identities have been revealed, and the experts found that an overwhelming majority have no apparent criminal convictions or even criminal charges.

They are now stuck in jail for an indefinite time. Some families are praying or hoping that their loved one will somehow be released before then.

Among the men, a gay artist, a soccer player, and a food delivery driver were identified as dangerous people. They were forced to lower their heads and bodies as they were unloaded from buses in bad conditions.

The sisters of the delivery men said, “We ask God for a sign that he’s OK. Not having any information is what hurts us the most.”

At least 22% of the prisoners on the list have criminal records in the United States or abroad. The majority are for non-violent offenses like theft, shoplifting, and trespassing. The men are expected to be held in El Salvador for at least a year. The Trump administration’s action taken nearly two months ago has rippled across continents, leaving loved ones broken and in doubt.

It remains unclear what will happen to the men after their sentences are done in prison. Carmen Bonilla, whose son was deported to El Salvador, has barely slept for nearly two months. Her mind is filled with horrible ideas of what could be happening to her son.“I know nothing about what’s happening to him,” Bonilla said in Spanish from her home in Venezuela. “I don’t sleep. I’ve lost weight. Watching the news about this makes me sick.”Each family is praying that there is still a chance their loved ones could be released.

About the Contributor

Mayka Savard Laliberte, journalist

Mayka is a fourteen-year-old girl who values her friends and family above all else.She’s an energetic girl who is not afraid to stand up for herself.From a young age, she was determined to become a lawyer, and that dream has remained strong ever since. She is a very social person that will talk to anyone. Her favorite pastime is watching the sunset, as she strongly believes that her loved one from heaven made them.

The Camaradiant

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Migrants Behind The Bars: El Salvador’s Mega Prison Concerns

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