Takeaways from Trump's move to send Venezuelan migrants in the US to a prison in El Salvador

[u/Sarah-McSarah]

https://apnews.com/article/trump-alien-enemies-act-venezuelans-deportations-prison-29a974bcbec436d6f857bf089fb88324

[u/Sarah-McSarah]

U.S. immigration authorities use a series of “gang identifiers” to spot members of Tren de Aragua. Some are obvious, such as trafficking drugs with known gang members.

Some are more surprising: Chicago Bulls jerseys, “high-end urban street wear,” and tattoos of clocks, stars and crowns, according to government instructional material filed in court by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Ordinary tattoos were key to marking many deported men as Tren members, according to documents and lawyers.

One of those men was a makeup artist who said he fled Venezuela after his boss at a state-run news channel publicly slapped him. In a country where political repression and open homophobia are both part of life, it’s hard to be a gay man who does not support President Nicolás Maduro.

Hoping to find a new life in America, Andry José Hernández Romero made his way north and arranged an appointment at a U.S. border crossing in San Diego.

There, he was asked about his tattoos. Romero has a crown tattooed on each wrist. One is next to the word “Mom.” The other next to “Dad.” The crowns, his lawyer says, also pay homage to his hometown’s Christmastime “Three Kings” festival, and to his work in beauty pageants.

Romero, who insists he has no ties to Tren, was transferred to a California detention center.

[u/Ghosttwo]

a 1798 law giving him immense powers to deport noncitizens in a time of war.

That's a loaded statement. First, 1798 is more recent than the constitution. Second, it's "If there's a declared war or any invasion or predatory incursion is perpetrated"; for example, Venezuela releasing their imprisoned gang members into the US to save money because the previous administration was handing out imaginary green cards by the imaginary truckload. We're returning them to sender. Also note that there are three different scenarios; a declared war doesn't necessarily require an invasion, and an invasion is different from a predatory incursion. Boasberg is an immigration judge; whether some event constitutes a 'predatory incursion' is not within his jurisdiction.

His use of that law was aimed at Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that he has repeatedly and falsely claimed as part of an invasion of criminal immigrants.

No, Trumps right. But admitting it would destroy your argument and render your pearl clutching invalid. Probably sell fewer subscriptions to liberals. But please, continue 'arts and crafts time' with the truth.

Over the next 24 hours, more than 130 Venezuelans were deported to an El Salvadoran prison

Only 130? Surely if the administration was randomly grabbing as many innocent foreigners off the street as they could find, they could come up with a lot more than that? Oh right, the deportees are actively investigated and warrants are issued on an individual basis. All coordinated through multiple law enforcement agencies.

An 18th-century law

So what? The bill of rights is an '18th century law'. So is the Copyright Act, "An act for the temporary establishment of the Post-Office.", and over 100 others, most still in force. Including the Alien Enemies Act.

The law crafted during the presidency of John Adams had been used just three times: during the War of 1812 and the two world wars.

Now it's four times. Against convicted gang members from one country. This is the narrowest invocation in it's history.

Chicago Bulls jerseys, “high-end urban street wear,” and tattoos of clocks, stars and crowns

You can get these for yourself, but on the wrong corner it'll get you stabbed. They know what they mean, we know what they mean.

Ordinary tattoos were key to marking many deported men as Tren members, according to documents and lawyers.

They're known codes. They're deliberately innocuous to provide plausible deniability, just like here. The odds of someone being from Venezuela, living amongst TdA members, having a criminal record, having coded tattoos, and not being a TdA member are vanishingly small. Additionally, as the Alien act has been invoked against Venezuela, any non-citizen from that country may be deported for any reason. There is no requirement that the government prove that they are a TdA member, only that they are Venezuelan. Is it ethical? Maybe not. Is it legal? Hell Yeah.

Romero has a crown tattooed on each wrist

Who doesn't, am I right? Just a normal guy, I'm sure. Might even have a unicorn on his buttcheek and spongebob smoking a bong on his leg.

The crowns, his lawyer says, also pay homage to his hometown’s Christmastime “Three Kings” festival, and to his work in beauty pageants

Of course his lawyer says. Probably rescues orphan puppies too. I wonder how many people in Pittsburgh have a Christmas tree tattoo to 'pay homage' to light-up night?

Yada yada, president Boasberg proclaims, etc. The left wants this guy to be 'innocent father of three' because that would make this a case of Trump being bad and wrong. And if he gets released in LA and stabs someone in two years, at least you signaled your virtue. Maybe president Boasberg can send the navy seals to El Salvador, kidnap their citizen from prison, then release him onto Hollywood Bulevard with $100 and a bus ticket. That's the end game, right?

Associated Press is not a credible news source.

[u/Sarah-McSarah → u/Ghosttwo]

What are your thoughts on the innocent people sent to the El Salvador prison?

[u/ec1710]

I don't make light of the nightmare these people are going through, but some of it comes down to fantasies and unrealistic expectations. Like this guy, Romero. He thought he needed to escape the Maduro regime after his boss slapped him. He fled to the US, where he imagined he'd be safe, but was immediately imprisoned because he has tattoos.