Sen. Chris Van Hollen was denied a meeting with deported migrant and alleged MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia at CECOT, raising concerns over transparency and political accountability in the management of the facility.

Amnesty International has highlighted that, following President Bukele’s visit to the White House, Venezuelan nationals were arbitrarily deported to CECOT, a Salvadoran mega prison. This repressive cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador has contributed to enforced disappearances and a deepening human rights crisis, with over 200 Venezuelans affected.

A PBS investigation reveals that CECOT, the infamous mega prison in El Salvador, has become a central symbol of President Bukele's state of exception. The facility is implicated in systemic abuses and human rights violations, reflecting its role in an authoritarian security strategy that detains migrant populations and alleged gang members.

CNN reports on harsh, authoritarian conditions at El Salvador’s Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT). The facility, now housing hundreds of deported alleged gang members from the Trump administration, subjects inmates to severe regimes including forced shaving, prolonged confinement with minimal access to basic necessities, and public humiliations.

On March 17, 2025, hundreds of immigrants facing deportation were transferred to CECOT, El Salvador’s mega-prison, under an agreement in which the Trump administration paid $6 million. This move is part of an aggressive immigration crackdown utilizing the 18th century Alien Enemies Act, raising significant human rights and authoritarian concerns.

On March 16, 2025, CECOT transferred over 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members—many of whom reportedly had no criminal records—into a detention operation marked by overcrowded, inhumane conditions and widespread criticism from human rights advocates. The move, linked to a U.S.-arranged deportation under the Alien Enemies Act, has raised concerns about its use as a tool for political repression.

On March 16, 2025, prison guards transferred deportees, including alleged Venezuelan gang members, from the U.S. to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in Tecoluca, El Salvador. The transfer is part of the broader Trump-era deportation policy, raising concerns about the role of detention facilities in enforcing authoritarian immigration practices.

A $6M State Department payment to El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) has sparked allegations of human rights violations, including reports of inhumane detention conditions and breaches of the Leahy Law. The facility, used for mass deportations under the Trump administration, faces criticism for its role in politically motivated incarceration and alleged abuse.