• UN rights chief highlights concerns over US deportations of non-nationals to El Salvador.
• In a short period, 142,000 individuals were deported from the US, sparking human rights alarms.
• Particular focus on Venezuelans deported to the CECOT prison amid allegations of due process violations.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has expressed "deep concern" regarding the deportation of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States, particularly highlighting those sent to the notorious maximum-security prison, CECOT, in El Salvador. Between January 20 and April 29, approximately 142,000 individuals were deported from the US, raising serious worries about fundamental rights defined by both US and international law, such as the right to due process and protection against arbitrary detention, according to Indiatimes, aa, and trtglobal.

The situation deteriorated following US President Donald Trump's invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to facilitate the removal of alleged gang members, including many Venezuelans. The UN has reported information from family members indicating that over 100 Venezuelans have been taken to CECOT, where they reportedly face very harsh conditions. Notably, many detainees were not informed of their deportation or allowed legal representation, limiting their capacity to contest the removals, according to africanews, Indiatimes, and trtglobal.

The UN's concerns extend to the broader implications of these deportations. Families report feelings of powerlessness and anguish over their loved ones being labeled as criminals without due legal process. Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office, stressed that no official lists of detainees have been released by US or Salvadoran authorities, raising significant questions about the detainees' legal status and locations. "We don’t know what is happening to people... Families do not know where their loved ones are," she remarked, as documented by aa, africanews, and trtglobal.

The UN has called on the US government to halt deportations to countries where there is a significant risk of torture or irreparable harm and to guarantee due rights for individuals facing removal. These statements are underscored by concerns that detainees were subjected to degrading treatment during their deportation processes, including being shackled, which raises ethical questions about the treatment of migrants, according to Indiatimes, aa, and trtglobal.