Summary
The U.S. deported 238 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Internal documents show 75% had no known criminal record. Some, like a makeup artist and a soccer player, had pending asylum claims.
The Trump administration claimed links to the Tren de Aragua gang, citing tattoos and social media, but lawyers and experts say evidence is flimsy.
Despite a court order to halt the deportation, flights proceeded. Critics warn the move bypasses due process and violates international human rights standards.
I remember looking at a documentary about America in the early colonial days in the 17th century. Apparently it took a while for racism to truly become a thing, and the absolute first black people to come in were also indentured servants. After racism started becoming codified at one point they reenslaved some blacks who were freed or never slaves to begin with.
What we are seeing is the precedent that was set back then being reused. Pulling absolute random people and just selling them into slavery.
It also makes sense that most of the people have no criminal records. People who are violent criminals, or have a violent criminal history, are often difficult to control. By getting people who have no criminal history and treating them like murderers and drug smugglers, makes it easy to dehumanize them and demonize them but also still easy to control.