U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visits the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in Tecoluca, El Salvador, as part of her three-day international trip focused on immigration and transnational crime. The prison, one of the largest in Latin America, is now housing hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States. These individuals have been accused by the Trump administration of being affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Standing inside the massive high-security facility, Noem issues a stern warning to migrants attempting to cross into the United States illegally, stating that “those who enter illegally and commit crimes against Americans will face justice.” She highlights the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies as instrumental in cracking down on organized criminal threats entering the U.S. through the southern border.
The detainees at CECOT were deported under the controversial use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a rarely invoked law that allows for the removal of foreign nationals considered threats during times of conflict. Trump-era officials argued that Tren de Aragua posed such a threat, pointing to the gang’s rapid expansion throughout South and Central America and alleged infiltration into U.S. cities. Critics, however, say the deportations lacked due process and failed to prove gang affiliations.
The legality of the deportations is being challenged in U.S. courts. A federal appeals court has already blocked further removals under the Alien Enemies Act, citing the need for individual assessments and fair legal procedures. Civil rights organizations warn that many of those sent to El Salvador were not afforded proper hearings and now face harsh prison conditions without legal counsel or consular access.
Noem’s visit includes a meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who has championed an iron-fisted approach to gang violence. The CECOT facility, inaugurated in 2023, is a symbol of his war on crime and has drawn both praise and sharp criticism. Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned the prison for its treatment of inmates, lack of transparency, and alleged abuses, including overcrowding and prolonged solitary confinement.
Despite these concerns, Noem hails the partnership with Bukele’s government as a key step in building regional cooperation to dismantle transnational criminal networks. She is also expected to visit Colombia and Mexico as part of broader discussions on immigration enforcement, drug trafficking, and border security.
Her visit marks one of the most high-profile endorsements of El Salvador’s prison crackdown by a U.S. official. It also signals a continuation of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda, even as legal battles continue over its methods and impact.
Sources:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/el-salvador-mega-prison-awaits-illegal-immigrants-us-security-chief-warns-thw0nt3g2
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-homeland-security-noem-el-salvador-prison-visit-cf975f4f
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/20/cecot-el-salvador-venezuela-prison-trump-deportations
https://apnews.com/article/188d999b6625ea05e85a86f0ec4e670a
https://abcnews.go.com/US/el-salvador-prison-holding-alleged-venezuelan-gang-members/story?id=120178927
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kristi-noem-visits-el-salvador-prison-holding-deported-venezuelans/
https://youtu.be/q9oZ0pHymko
