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.
We are going to see at midnight tonight how unchecked the power is.
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/04/nx-s1-5352448/judge-orders-the-trump-administration-to-return-man-who-was-mistakenly-deported-el-salvador
My understanding of what’s going on here… And admittedly, the Trump administration is moving very fast, the courts are not moving fast enough. However that’s kind of the way the courts have always worked. It feels like the Trump administration is trying to exploit this.
However, if that man is not returned by midnight, my assumption is that there will be a Patsy that will be held in contempt of court.
So we are now in a game theory square
The man returns, the man does not return.
Someone is punished, no one is punished.
Ideally, by this time tomorrow that man is returned and someone is punished.
The worst case scenario is that by midnight tonight that man is not returned and no one is punished. If that happens we are in a very dark space.
All three other alternatives offer hope, with the one square I mentioned actually being a very good sign in general despite the current horrors.
USSC blocked it, so welcome to the dark side.
Wrong, they paused it. This is one of the 2 squares I didn’t mention that is still positive, while horrific.
They do keep “pausing” consequences every time it matters for 47 though.
Justice delayed is justice denied. It also must be super reassuring to all those people in
the concentration campsCECOT.Okay, this is not “the dark square” though.
Your soundbite is nice but I am here to discuss facts of matters and not play ‘witty quip’ tit for tat.
It’s insufficient to punish “someone”, because that person is likely just a patsy, as you suggest.
What I would like to see is the judge asking the lowest person on the rung, under oath, “Who ordered this? Tell me or I’ll hold you in contempt”, and then when that person answers they ask the named person the same question, until they find someone who actually matters, and hold them in contempt until the man is returned. (And, hold them directly responsible for the condition the man is returned in).
The President may be immune from the consequences of his actions, but people serving under him are not.
Oh I agree, the patsy is the first domino, though. The dominos get larger as they continue to fall, ideally. As you put it.
Things are dark but there is not yet an absence of light.
Convincing all the little stooges that they won’t be protected is the only way to course correct from this.
We need to convince them the only way they will be protected is to rat out their bosses. (And then, actually protect them from the brownshirts.)