DHS Secretary Responds to Dismissal of Lawsuit

Homeland Security Secretary Christi Noem expressed her approval over the dismissal of a lawsuit aimed at sending immigrants to Guantanamo Bay.

In a recent post on social media, Noem remarked, “Suck it,” and shared a court document confirming that the ten immigrants who initiated the lawsuit had dropped it.

This legal action, supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, arose in early March concerning the Trump administration’s plans to transfer these ten immigrants to the detention center in Guantanamo Bay due to intensifying efforts against illegal immigration.

In a filing dated March 1, the plaintiffs argued that, “The federal government has arrested and detained a non-citizen who has been taken into custody by the United States over civil immigration issues at Guantanamo, and there seems to be no valid reason for this at the moment.”

The complaint also highlighted that the US has sufficient detention facilities available domestically, which would be less costly and free from logistical challenges compared to Guantanamo.

One of the plaintiffs, Espinoza Escarona, was accused by the DHS of being associated with Tren de Aragua, a transnational gang identified by the US government as a terrorist organization. His family has denied these allegations.

In late March, Escarona was deported to El Salvador, while his partner, Yorelyely Escarleth Bernal Inciarte, faced similar accusations but was sent to Venezuela instead. Both had originally entered the US legally and had received final removal orders from the court.

Initially, they had been under US custody. However, they were returned to Venezuela earlier this month.

The DHS previously noted concerns regarding the child of Bernal Inciarte, stating that she was involved in the recruitment of young women for drug trafficking and prostitution within Tren de Aragua, thus prioritizing the child’s safety over her custody.