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Records find that 'overwhelming majority' of people sent to 'world's worst prison' by Trump administration have no criminal record

Home> News> US News

Published 15:17 7 Apr 2025 GMT+1

Records find that 'overwhelming majority' of people sent to 'world's worst prison' by Trump administration have no criminal record

A report by CBS News' 60 Minutes cross-referenced domestic and international court filings alongside arrest records and news reports

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

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Featured Image Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Topics: World News, US News, Donald Trump, Politics

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a freelance journalist with words in Daily Express, Cosmopolitan UK, LADbible, UNILAD and Tyla. She is a former Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible.

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The US has sent 238 migrants to the 'world's worst prison' however, documents reveal most have no criminal record.

Soon after being sworn in as the 47th President of the US in January, Donald Trump wasted no time signing multiple executive orders taking aim at the millions of migrants living in the US.

One order - titled 'Protecting the American people against invasion' - accused Biden's administration of letting 'millions of illegal aliens' cross the borders, 'aliens' who 'present significant threats to national security and public safety, committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans'.

"Others are engaged in hostile activities, including espionage, economic espionage, and preparations for terror-related activities," it continues.

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Cracking down on the order, Trump's administration deported over 200 alleged 'criminals' from Texas to a maximum security mega prison in El Salvador.

Using a little-known law previously used in WW2 - called the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 - Trump argued the US was 'under 'invasion' of immigrants linked to organized crime as a way to justify his signing of the executive order and try and push through the mass deportation.

US District Judge James E. Boasberg temporarily halted the deportations, however, some flights were reportedly already airborne.

A reported total of 238 Venezuelan migrants were flown from Texas to the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) - considered the largest prison in the Americas and worst prison in the world, housing some of the most dangerous criminals from gang members to mass murderers.

And now it turns out the majority of those deported reportedly don't even have a criminal record.

CBS News' 60 Minutes reports the names of the Venezuelan men sent to El Salvador last month have not yet been released, but it obtained government documents listing them and any criminal record information.

Cross referencing domestic and international court filings alongside arrest records and news reports, 60 Minutes says it couldn't find criminal records for a staggering 179 men - 75 percent - who were shipped off to the prison.

Over 200 people were deported (Alex Pena/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Over 200 people were deported (Alex Pena/Anadolu via Getty Images)

60 Minutes reports only around 'at least 22 percent' of the men on the list have criminal records in the US or abroad and the 'vast majority' of offences are for things like trespassing or theft - 'non-violent'.

Of the 22 percent, around 'a dozen' are 'accused of murder, rape, assault and kidnapping,' it reports.

"For three percent of those deported, it is unclear whether a criminal record exists," it adds.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the outlet many who were found without criminal records 'are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gangsters, and more. They just don't have a rap sheet in the US'.

UNILAD has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

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