US homeland security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday paid a visit to the high-security El Salvador prison housing Venezuelan detainees, whom the Trump administration claims are gang members, following their deportation from the United States.
Her inspection included visits to two crowded cell blocks, the armoury and an isolation unit.
The visit to this facility, where inmates are confined to cells without outdoor access, aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to demonstrate its deportation of individuals they designate as dangerous offenders.
The administration is defending its decision to send Venezuelans to El Salvador in federal court proceedings. Meanwhile, advocates contend that officials have placed these individuals in a facility with documented human rights violations, whilst providing minimal evidence of their alleged connections to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.
When questioned about the indefinite detention of Venezuelan deportees and the possibility of their return to the U.S. under potential court orders, Noem avoided direct responses.
“We’re going to let the courts play out,” she told reporters following the visit.
During her tour, Noem observed an area containing some of the accused Venezuelan gang members. The men, dressed in white T-shirts and shorts, remained silent in their sweltering cell, later shouting unintelligibly as she departed.
In a post on X, Noem said, “I toured the CECOT, El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center. President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison.”
In another section housing Salvadoran prisoners, guards arranged approximately twelve inmates at their cell entrance and instructed them to remove their T-shirts and face masks. The prisoners displayed extensive tattoos, with some bearing MS markings, indicating Mara Salvatrucha gang affiliation.
Following discussions with Salvadoran officials, Noem recorded a video message with her back to the cell.
If an immigrant commits a crime, “this is one of the consequences you could face,” Noem said. “First of all, do not come to our country illegally. You will be removed and you will be prosecuted. But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people.”
Noem’s schedule included a meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, whose anti-gang initiatives have garnered support from U.S. right-wing groups, despite concerns regarding democratic principles and due process.
“This unprecedented relationship we have with El Salvador is going to be a model for other countries on how they can work with America,” Noem stated to reporters Wednesday.
Throughout her tenure, Noem has actively participated in immigration enforcement initiatives, including enforcement operations, Border Patrol activities, and leading television campaigns encouraging voluntary departure of undocumented individuals.
The Wednesday visit forms part of a three-day journey including stops in Colombia and Mexico.
The Venezuelan deportations occurred this month after Trump activated the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, citing an invasion by the Tren de Aragua gang. This wartime legislation permits deportation of non-citizens without judicial review.
On Wednesday, an appeals court maintained restrictions preventing additional Venezuelan deportations to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.
A significant concern remains regarding the release conditions for detainees at the Terrorism Confinement Center, as they lack formal sentences. They are no longer traceable through US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s online system and haven’t appeared before Salvadoran courts.
Family members of deportees strongly reject gang association claims. The Venezuelan government and the Families of Immigrants Committee in Venezuela have secured legal representation for approximately 30 Venezuelans, maintaining their innocence and absence of criminal records.
