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Trump has custody over jailed CECOT migrants, El Salvador says, complicating court fights
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The government of El Salvador told the United Nations that more than 100 Venezuelan migrants deported by the Trump administration to its maximum-security prison, CECOT, in March remain under the sole custody of the U.S. government — appearing to undercut months of assertions by senior Trump officials, who have repeatedly claimed they have no power to compel the return of these individuals.
The U.N. report was included Monday in a court filing submitted by lawyers for the ACLU and other migrant groups representing more than 100 detainees at CECOT who are challenging their removal from the U.S. to the maximum-security Salvadorian prison.
The filing included a copy of statements made by the Salvadorian government to a U.N. human rights office in April, as part of an investigation brought on behalf of four families.
At the time, El Salvador officials told the U.N. that the «jurisdiction and legal responsibility» for detainees sent by the U.S. to CECOT in March lies «exclusively» with the U.S., citing a $6 million agreement it struck with the U.S. in March to host roughly 300 migrant prisoners.
FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS RETURN OF DEPORTED MIGRANT TO US, REJECTING TRUMP REQUEST
Judge James E. Boasberg, chief judge of the Federal District Court in Washington, D.C., stands for a portrait at E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C., on Mar. 16, 2023. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
That assertion came roughly one month after the Trump administration in March invoked a 1798 wartime immigration law to more quickly deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Prior to March, the U.S. invoked the law just three times, including most recently during World War II.
Lawyers representing the migrants argued Monday that the statement included in the U.N. report should be grounds for plaintiffs to seek additional discovery in the case, which had been overseen by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg beginning in March.
WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS?
More than 250 suspected gang members, after arriving in El Salvador by plane, are seen in San Salvador, El Salvador, on March 16, 2025. (El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
«Since March, the Trump-Vance administration has sought to operate in the shadows without public transparency as it removes people from the country under false pretenses or without any process at all,» Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, which is representing the CECOT detainees alongside the ACLU, said in a statement this week.
«This is a threat to every single American, and is a threat to our democracy as a whole,» Perryman added.
It could also breathe new life into a flurry of stalled immigration cases nationwide.
As of this writing, the revelation has already had a knock-down effect on at least one case involving a CECOT migrant ordered back to the U.S. by a federal judge.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TELLS FEDERAL JUDGE IT MIGHT INVOKE STATE SECRETS ACT ON HIGH-PROFILE DEPORTATION CASE
Demonstrators gather outside the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, to protest the Trump administration’s deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to El Salvador in March in what administration officials said was an administrative error, on July 7, 2025. (Breanne Deppisch/Fox News Digital)
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher, a Trump appointee, ordered the administration on Wednesday to explain its position to the court in light of the new revelations.
«Defendants have repeatedly skirted this Court’s directive to provide information regarding the steps they have taken and will take to facilitate the return of [‘Cristian’] to the United States,» the judge wrote in an order Wednesday evening, referring to a man deported to El Salvador in March.
She noted that the defendants «have repeatedly made oblique references to their request of ‘assistance’ from the U.S. Department of State, which has ‘entered into negotiations to facilitate Cristian’s return’ and ‘assumed responsibility on behalf of the U.S. Government for … diplomatic discussions with El Salvador.’»
Gallagher ruled in April that the government violated a 2024 settlement between DHS and a group of young asylum seekers in deporting him before his case was fully heard in court.
As of this writing, however, he has not been returned to the country.
SUPREME COURT GRANTS TRUMP REQUEST TO LIFT STAY HALTING VENEZUELAN DEPORTATIONS
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher, a Trump appointee, ordered the administration on Wednesday to explain its position to the court in light of the new revelations. (Getty)
The revelation could also come to the fore in another major hearing this week.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis will hear from Trump administration officials and lawyers for Salvadorian migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia as she weighs a request from Abrego’s attorneys to transfer him back to U.S. custody in Maryland.
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Abrego is currently in the custody of U.S. Marshals in Tennesee but could be released as early as next week. Plaintiffs have cited deep concerns that the Trump administration would immediately seek to take him into ICE custody upon release and deport him to a third country— a notion the administration did not dispute.
Xinis, for her part, has taken umbrage with the Trump administration’s evasiveness and slow-walking of information, which she likened earlier this week to «trying to nail Jell-O to a wall.»
INTERNACIONAL
Ecuador: el presidente Noboa llega a su segundo año en el poder marcado por una primera gran derrota en las urnas y la violencia del narcotráfico
1.- La mayor derrota en las urnas
2.- Economía
3.- Conflicto armado interno
La Policía de Ecuador se enfrenta con manifestantes durante una protesta este domingo, en Quito (Ecuador). Foto EFE4.- Crisis carcelaria
5.- Crisis diplomática con México
6.- Tensiones políticas
7.- Relaciones internacionales
INTERNACIONAL
Trump orders Epstein files release, welcomes Mamdani, crown prince to White House in busy week
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President Donald Trump kicked off the week meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and closed the week meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
He also signed legislation ordering the Justice Department to release files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Here’s a look at what happened this week.
Epstein files
Trump announced Wednesday evening that he put his stamp of approval on a bill instructing the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein — after Congress passed the measure Tuesday.
TRUMP SAYS WHETHER HE WOULD SIGN EPSTEIN FILES BILL
«I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!» Trump wrote in a lengthy message on the Truth Social platform. «As everyone knows, I asked Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, to pass this Bill in the House and Senate, respectively. Because of this request, the votes were almost unanimous in favor of passage.
«At my direction, the Department of Justice has already turned over close to fifty thousand pages of documents to Congress. Do not forget — The Biden Administration did not turn over a SINGLE file or page related to Democrat Epstein, nor did they ever even speak about him.»
Trump’s ties to Epstein had faced increased attention after Trump’s Justice Department and FBI announced in July it would not unseal investigation materials related to Epstein, and that the agencies’ investigation into the case had closed.
Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida, Feb. 22, 1997. (Davidoff Studios/Getty Images)
TRUMP CALLS ON HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO VOTE TO RELEASE EPSTEIN FILES: ‘WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’
However, Trump announced Nov. 16 that he backed releasing the documents, claiming that he had «nothing to hide.»
Ultimately, the House voted Tuesday to release the files by a 421–1 margin, following pressure for months from the measure’s ringleaders, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and other Democrats.
The Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent later Tuesday.
BIDEN’S SAUDI FIST BUMP DREW HEAT IN 2022 — TRUMP JUST ROLLED OUT THE RED CARPET
Mamdani meeting
Mamdani visited Trump at the White House Friday, and the two appeared chummy and ready to launch a fresh start in their relationship. The two said they discussed addressing affordability issues and improving conditions in New York.
Trump said the two had more in common than he anticipated, and that he would be «cheering» for Mamdani as he leads the city.
«I expect to be helping him, not hurting him — a big help,» Trump said.
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump take questions from the press following their one-on-one meeting, Friday, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Pool/Fox News)
EPSTEIN REFERENCED TRUMP IN PRIVATE EMAILS TO GHISLAINE MAXWELL AND OTHERS, NEW RECORDS SHOW
Trump also brushed off Mamdani’s comment labeling him a despot in his victory speech following the Nov. 4 election, with the president claiming Friday he’s encountered worse and that he believes Mamdani will change his tune as the two work together.
«I’ve been called much worse than a ‘despot,’ so it’s not, it’s not that insulting,» Trump said. «I think he’ll change his mind after we get to working together.»
Saudi crown prince meeting
Trump also met with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House Tuesday, an occasion that included a red carpet rolled across the South Lawn, military honor guard, and an Air Force flyover to elevate the formal state-level welcome.
During bin Salman’s visit, the U.S. announced that it would sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, and that it would now be a «major non-NATO ally» to facilitate military cooperation between the two countries.
«President Trump approved a major defense sale package, including future F-35 deliveries, which strengthens the U.S. defense industrial base and ensures Saudi Arabia continues to buy American,» the White House said in a statement.
Trump’s reception of bin Salman is a departure from the Biden administration, who said in 2019 during his presidential campaign that he would make Saudi Arabia «the pariah that they are» because of the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
President Donald Trump’s reception of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman is a departure from the Biden administration. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in 2021 that bin Salman gave the green light on the operation that took Khashoggi’s life. Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, was brutally murdered in Istanbul at the Saudi consulate in 2018.
But Trump defended bin Salman Tuesday, and accused a reporter who asked about U.S. intelligence reports linking the prince to Khashoggi’s death of embarrassing bin Salman.
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«A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,» Trump said Tuesday. «Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it. And would you leave it at that? You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question.»
Even so, bin Salman has dismissed the reports as false. When asked Tuesday about Khashoggi, bin Salman said it’s «painful» to hear of the death of anyone for «no real purpose,» and «we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again.»
donald trump,white house,jeffrey epstein,zohran mamdani,saudi arabia
INTERNACIONAL
Israel eliminates Hezbollah’s top military commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai in targeted Beirut strike
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff, in Beirut, calling him a «mass murderer» responsible for attacks on Israelis and Americans.
Netanyahu framed the strike as part of Israel’s ongoing effort to dismantle Hezbollah’s leadership and prevent the group from rebuilding its arsenal after recent operations. He warned that Israel would not tolerate future threats from Lebanon and urged its government to disarm Hezbollah.
«A few hours ago, the IDF eliminated Ali Tabatabai, the chief of staff of the Hezbollah terrorist organization,» Netanyahu said. «Tabatabai is a mass murderer. His hands are soaked in the blood of many Israelis and Americans, and it is not for nothing that the U.S. put a bounty of $5 million on his head.»
The prime minister said Tabatabai was a senior commander in the Radwan Force, which he said prepared to invade the Galilee and kill Israeli civilians.
ISRAELI STRIKE TARGETS HAMAS LEADERSHIP IN QATAR
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Nov. 23, 2025, that Israel Defense Forces killed Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff, in Beirut. (Jacquelyn Martin/Getty Images)
Netanyahu said Tabatabai most recently led Hezbollah’s efforts to rearm after the group suffered major losses in the «Pager Operation,» including damage to missile stockpiles and the killing of Nasrallah.
«I thank the IDF and the security forces that carried out a professional, accurate and successful operation today,» Netanyahu said. «The policy I am leading is absolutely clear: Under my leadership, the State of Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its power and we will not allow it to pose a threat to the State of Israel again.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH BORDER TENSIONS RISE AS TERROR GROUP REARMS, RESISTS US- BACKED CEASEFIRE
Hezbollah terrorists are taking part in cross-border raids in 2023. (Fadel Itani/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
«I expect the government of Lebanon to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah,» he added. «Because only in this way can a better future be made possible for every citizen in Lebanon and only in this way can good and secure neighborly relations be established between Israel and Lebanon.»
Netanyahu also commended President Donald Trump for vowing to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, saying the group endangers stability throughout the Middle East and beyond.
NETANYAHU CALLS ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS TO JOIN ISRAEL IN ‘EXPELLING HAMAS’ FROM REGION
Hezbollah members salute and raise the group’s yellow flags during the funeral of their fallen comrades Ismail Baz and Mohamad Hussein Shohury, who were killed in an Israeli strike on their vehicles, in Shehabiya in south Lebanon on April 17, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
Hezbollah confirmed Tabatabai’s death by posting a photo on its Telegram accounts, signaling the loss of one of its top commanders. A translation of the image’s caption reads, «Islamic Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah. The great jihadi leader Haitham Ali Tabatabai (Sayyed Abu Ali), 1968–2025.»
Earlier Sunday, the prime minister’s office said the IDF carried out the Beirut strike on the recommendation of the defense minister and the IDF chief of staff. Shortly after the operation, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel will continue to act decisively against threats from Lebanon.
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«Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have his hand cut off,» Katz said. «Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are determined to continue the policy of maximum enforcement in Lebanon and elsewhere. We will not allow a return to the reality before Oct. 7.»
benjamin netanyahu,middle east,lebanon,terrorism
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