The World’s Worst Prison At El Salvador Recieved Its First Deported U.S. Residents Against A Judicial Ban
The world’s attention remains focused on El Salvador’s megaprisons even though the reason for scrutiny has shifted away from brutal treatment.
The official name of this prison is Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) but it gained worldwide notoriety because of its brutal conditions which prisoners face without basic rights.
The facility stands in Tecoluca and ranks among the largest prisons worldwide because it can accommodate 40,000 inmates who the authorities identify as gang suspects.
President Nayib Bukele constructed the prison through his anti-gang policies that feature 19 guard towers combined with electrified fencing as well as constant video surveillance.
The small prison cells contain metal bunks and open toilets and do not provide mattresses nor allow sufficient space for movement.
The inmates receive their daily time in a prison cell for 23.5 hours before having access to exercise or Bible study for 30 minutes in the central hallway.
Multiple human rights groups continuously criticize CECOT prison because of its abusive treatment of incarcerated individuals.
The detention facility fails to provide proper medical services to its inmates and restricts prisoners from receiving books while imposing severe limitations and denying them access to family communication.
Amnesty International has labeled CECOT as a “symbol of mass incarceration” that does little to address the root causes of gang violence.
The Salvadoran government uses the prison as its main equipment to fight organized crime targeting MS-13 and Tren de Aragua through aggressive measures.
The U.S. deported more than 250 participants to this facility even though a judge tried to halt the deportation process minutes beforehand.
A total of 238 detainees were identified as Tren de Aragua members and 23 detainees were affiliated with MS-13 according to deportation reports.
The deportation was executed through the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 which served as a wartime regulation but remained unused during most of the recent historical period.
The Trump government invoked the Alien Enemies Act to label criminal activities as an ‘invasion’ which resulted in a necessity for national security through deportation measures.
The court official issued a restraining order on the deportation since the measures raised multiple legal concerns involving human rights breaches.
The flight carrying the detained immigrants had taken off before the court managed to make its ruling so the court’s order became ineffective.
This deportation operation represents a major step forward in the U.S. campaign against immigrant and crime groups leading to potential widespread legal disputes.
El Salvador’s government accepts deportees to help its battle against gang violence so it has made public the justification.
The critics claim this transfer gives Bukele stronger control over power as the situation for prison inmates deteriorates.
The transfer continues to face legal challenges and human rights groups warn that this action creates major questions regarding security and justice alongside law.
The world observes CECOT detainees uncertainly since their present situation appears to be worse than the outside world believes.
Feature Image Credit: (Youtube/Ruhi Çenet)