Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday that hundreds of members of the Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang had been deported under the Alien Enemy Act of 1798, even if a federal judge ordered a temporary suspension.
“Under the direction of the president, his administration has begun eliminating hundreds of dangerous members of Tren de Aragua (TDA), a vicious and violent foreign terrorist organization (FTO) that is threatening our country, threatening irregular wars and terrorizing Americans,” Rubio said on Sunday.
“Hundreds of violent criminals have been sent from our country. This important step would never have happened under other US presidents. President Trump is following the promises he made to Americans,” he added.
Rubio's announcement comes a day after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered an order that halted the deportation of individuals deemed eligible for removal under a 14-day order under Trump's order, as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Democratic Forward and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
But Boasberg showed at a virtual hearing on Saturday that the two planes with immigrants were already in the air at the time of the order.
Boasberg verbally ordered the plane to turn, according to the Associated Press, but apparently not, and the order was not included in written order.
“A plane that either takes off or includes these people in the air will need to be returned to the US,” Boasberg told Justice Department officials on Saturday.
The immigrants were deported under a contract negotiated with President Naive Bukere, El Salvador. Naive Bukere has agreed to the US to incarcerate two top leaders, two top leaders of MS-13 and two top leaders who “facing justice in their homeland.”
“President Bukere has shown that he is not only the strongest security leader in our region, but also a great friend of the United States,” Rubio said in a statement, thanking Bukere for “playing a pivotal role in this transfer.”
