Despite a judge’s order, Trump deported hundreds to El Salvador’s inhumane mega-prison overnight

Hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members were forcibly deported from the US to a notorious El Salvador prison on Sunday, despite a last-minute court order blocking their removal. President Donald Trump, invoking wartime powers, dismissed the ruling and defended his actions, claiming these were “bad people” who had no place in America.

The dramatic deportation unfolded after US District Judge James Boasberg temporarily halted the use of the Alien Enemies Act, an archaic wartime law Trump had resurrected to accelerate removals. The judge even went as far as ordering planes already in the air to return. But by then, it was too late.

Onboard Air Force One, Trump doubled down. “This was a bad group of, as I say, hombres,” he told reporters. The administration, however, insisted it had not violated any legal orders, arguing that the deportations were already complete before the judge intervened.

Legal Showdown & Defiance

Boasberg’s ruling was meant to halt all deportations under Trump’s controversial act. Lawyers fighting the policy had warned that flights were already in motion, and the judge swiftly acted, declaring, “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States.”

Yet, the administration pressed forward. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the ruling, calling it “unlawful” and claiming the judge’s directive had no impact since the deportees were “already gone.” She also painted the expelled migrants as “terrorists” from Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang.

Senior White House officials reportedly debated whether to recall the planes but ultimately let them proceed. The timing remains unclear, but some legal experts suggest the administration may have outright ignored the judge’s verbal order. If proven, Trump’s team could face serious contempt charges.

Brutal Destination: The Prison From Hell

Once in El Salvador, the deportees were handed over to President Nayib Bukele’s government, which locked them inside the infamous Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT). The 40,000-capacity facility has been described as a living nightmare, with inmates crammed into overcrowded cells, deprived of basic necessities, and subjected to relentless psychological torment.

Bukele, seemingly unfazed by the legal controversy, mocked the US court ruling on social media. “Oopsie… too late,” he posted on X, alongside a video of the prisoners being processed—heads shaved, wrists chained, stripped of dignity. The footage resembled a dystopian nightmare.

Trump, unfazed by legal scrutiny, later thanked Bukele for his cooperation, calling it a “great move” on Truth Social. Meanwhile, reports emerged that Erik Prince, a close Trump ally, had been in talks with El Salvador’s government for months, negotiating potential migrant transfers.

What Happens Next?

While Republicans hailed the deportation as a victory against crime, Democrats warned of dangerous precedents. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Trump of trampling over the law and warned that legal residents or even citizens could be next.

Meanwhile, questions remain about whether the deportations were legal at all. If the administration is found to have defied Boasberg’s order, harsher legal action could follow. Constitutional law expert Carl Tobias suggested that if Trump’s team blatantly ignored the ruling, they could face contempt charges.

Regardless, the White House appears unconcerned. Senator Mike Rounds summed up the administration’s stance: “Most Americans don’t care how old the law is. If it gets these guys out, we’re going to do it.”

For the hundreds of deportees now trapped in CECOT, there is no debate—only the grim reality of iron bars, concrete cells, and the fear that they may never see freedom again.