A lawyer has condemned the Trump administration's treatment of Venezuelan immigrants sent to a notorious El Salvador prison, alleging a campaign of psychological warfare against asylum seekers. ImmDef represents over 200 Venezuelans deported under this controversial immigration crackdown. The White House characterized the detainees as members of a violent gang, a claim contested by advocates who argue many are fleeing persecution. One deportee, an LGBTQ+ artist, passed an asylum screening before his removal, highlighting the disturbing consequences of these policies on vulnerable populations.
In my 15 years of representing people in removal proceedings in the United States, this is the most shocking thing that I've ever seen happen to one of our clients, said Lindsay Toczylowski, a California-based lawyer for the Immigrant Defenders Law Center.
Leavitt claimed their extraction and removal to El Salvador meant they would no longer be able to pose any threat to the American People.
Toczylowski rejected that portrayal of her client, calling claims that he was involved in the gang completely baseless.
In fact, she said he was an LGBTQ+ artist who had fled political persecution in an increasingly repressive Venezuela.
Collection
[
|
...
]