SILVER SPRING, Md – HIAS is dismayed by the Trump administration’s practice of detaining immigrants at the notoriously abusive CECOT prison in El Salvador, and by their blatant disregard for due process.
“The Trump administration is committing a grave injustice,” said Naomi Steinberg, HIAS Vice President for U.S. Policy and Advocacy. “People like Kilmar Abrego Garcia are being sent to rot in a mega-prison known for its human rights abuses. With each passing day, this is wreaking further terror on individuals, their families, and entire immigrant communities.”
The authority to conduct such rapid deportations comes from the antiquated and draconian Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which the Trump Administration is using to round-up, shackle, and remove hundreds of individuals without granting them the opportunity to defend themselves in court. Without due process, it is no wonder that the deported individuals include many who have never committed any crime, nor were members of any gang.
As a refugee agency, HIAS is particularly concerned that amongst those sent to El Salvador are asylum seekers who came to the United States seeking protection and were removed to a country where they could be at risk of torture, serious human rights violations, or other forms of persecution without the opportunity to contest their removals.
HIAS is also aggrieved by the continued detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, particularly after the Trump Administration’s admission that they made an “administrative error” in removing someone who had legal status in the U.S. His case is an egregious example that has caught the attention of the world, but his story could easily be one of many.
The injustices of this situation are profound, and HIAS will continue to raise our voice on behalf of immigrants whose rights are being denied. Grounded in our Jewish values and history, we will continue to raise our voice for the vision of a more just and compassionate world.
For press inquiries, please contact media@hias.org.