STOP ILLEGAL EXPULSIONS TO EL SALVADOR [USA 34.25]

Dear Secretary Noem,

I am extremely concerned over the recent unlawful expulsions of individuals from the United States to El Salvador under the purported authority of the Alien Enemies Act.

Despite a court order prohibiting their removal, 238 individuals were expelled to El Salvador on March 16, followed by 17 more on March 30. These individuals include people who were engaged in ongoing legal proceedings, had no criminal record or ties to a gang, or had already been granted protection under U.S. law, including the Convention Against Torture. Many were expelled without removal orders, a violation of established legal processes. Disturbingly, these individuals have been transferred to the Centro de Confinamiento Contra el Terrorismo (CECOT), a prison notorious for its inhumane conditions. The families of those unlawfully sent to El Salvador have not received any official information about their loved ones’ whereabouts.

The United States must uphold the principle of non-refoulement, which unequivocally prohibits states from returning, removing, or transferring individuals to any country where they would face a real risk of serious human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture or ill-treatment. By expelling these individuals to El Salvador, the U.S. government has placed them in grave danger. Further removals, particularly any subsequent transfer to Venezuela, would constitute additional violations of international law.

I urge you to immediately return those that were illegally removed to El Salvador so that they can continue their immigration proceedings in the US, and halt any subsequent expulsions, complying with the decisions of the US Judiciary.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]