Venezuelan Detainee 'Missing' After US-Ordered Deportation to El Salvador Prison

The detention of nearly 300 Venezuelan men in El Salvador's notorious megaprison has sparked international outcry and legal challenges. The men were deported from the United States under the Trump administration's controversial use of the Alien Enemies Act, which allows for the deportation of noncitizens during wartime.

A Family Torn Apart

Jhon Chacin, a 35-year-old Venezuelan man, was among those sent to El Salvador. He had initially sought asylum in the United States after fleeing poverty and repression in his home country. According to his brother, Eudomar Chacin, Jhon was supposed to board a flight back to Venezuela on March 13 but bad weather forced the cancellation.

Instead, Jhon was sent to the detention center in Texas, where he expressed fear and anxiety about unusual staff movements. Since then, Eudomar has not been able to contact his brother.

"I just feel like crying all the time — he is a good, healthy kid, he didn’t have any vices, he is Christian, my family is all Christian," Eudomar told NBC News. "I want justice and freedom for my brother. And I want him to return to Venezuela."

Unjust Allegations and Lack of Due Process

Families and attorneys of the deported men claim that their relatives were unjustly targeted and accused of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang based on ordinary tattoos, according to experts.

The Trump administration argued that it purged the country of gang members, backing its assertions with videos showing the men chained and escorted under armed guard from planes to the prison in the dark of night.

However, legal and immigration experts criticize the unprecedented action of sending migrants to detention in a third country without due process or the opportunity to disprove gang affiliation or pursue other immigration processes.

International Condemnation and Legal Challenges

Venezuela's government has demanded the release and return of the deported men, condemning their treatment as "kidnapping" and imprisonment in "Nazi-style concentration camps." The U.S. Treasury's decision to withdraw Chevron's license to export Venezuelan oil further escalated tensions.

Meanwhile, a federal appeals court heard arguments from the Trump administration defending its use of the wartime law deportations. However, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg denied the government’s request to lift his hold on deportations made under the Alien Enemies Act.

A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds

The detention of these men in El Salvador's overcrowded and often dangerous facilities raises serious humanitarian concerns. Their families are left desperate for information and hoping for their loved ones' safe return. The legal battles and international condemnation highlight the urgent need for a just and humane resolution to this crisis.

The case of Jhon Chacin and the other deported Venezuelan men serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of political rhetoric and the potential for abuse when fundamental rights are disregarded.