Update: 1 killed, 1 seriously injured. Attacker ran over, stabbed, and shot victims.
Relatives of Venezuelan migrants deported from the US over the weekend and held in a high-security prison in El Salvador say the deportees have no criminal records and are being detained without charges.
Last week, US President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, claiming it allowed him to deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The migrants are being held in El Salvador under an agreement with President Nayib Bukele’s government.
“The fact that they have tattoos doesn’t mean they belong to the Tren de Aragua. Nowadays, everyone has tattoos,” said Josefina Romero, mother of US deportee Wild Chirinos Romero.
Families and lawyers are desperately seeking information on missing relatives and clients they can no longer contact, demanding their return to Venezuela.
Despite a judge swiftly blocking the measure, the Trump administration deported more than 200 Venezuelans—137 under the wartime act—to El Salvador. They are now being detained in the country’s massive anti-terrorism prison for a year, subject to renewal.