Today, Explained The autocrat's prison
62 snips
Mar 19, 2025 
Ted Hessen, an immigration reporter at Reuters, and Lilia Luciano, a national correspondent for CBS News, delve into the complexities of U.S. deportations of alleged gang members to El Salvador. They discuss the murky evidence surrounding gang affiliations and the harsh realities faced by deportees in a mega-prison. The conversation highlights the troubling conditions in El Salvador's prisons and raises critical questions about justice and due process under an autocratic regime, shedding light on broader implications for immigration policy and human rights.
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Misused Song
- The White House tweeted a video of deportees set to Semisonic's "Closing Time".
- The band responded that the song's message is about "joy and possibilities and hope", not deportation.
Tren de Aragua's U.S. Presence
- Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, is known for extortion, kidnapping, and contract killings.
- Despite their reputation, there's limited evidence of large-scale operations in the U.S.
Alien Enemies Act
- The Alien Enemies Act, a wartime statute, allows bypassing due process.
- Trump invoked it, claiming Tren de Aragua's presence constitutes an "invasion."