The Trump administration deported 238 Venezuelan men to El Salvador's CECOT prison on March 15, 2025, under the Alien Enemies Act, claiming they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang and invoking a law unused since World War II. The men were deported without deportation hearings or due process. ProPublica's investigation found at least 197 of the 238 men had no criminal convictions in the U.S.; Human Rights Watch determined nearly half had no criminal history; and ICE's own data showed only 3% were convicted of violent crimes. The men reported torture including beatings, stress positions, sleep deprivation, sexual violence, and denial of medical care. They were held for four months before being returned to Venezuela on July 18, 2025, as part of a prisoner swap. The Trump administration paid El Salvador $6 million to hold the deportees.