Revelation of Disappearance of Dozens on El Salvador Deportation Flights

- Dozens of deportees from Texas to El Salvador are unaccounted for.
- Flight manifests indicate at least 281 individuals were deported in March.
- Families of missing deportees are demanding accountability and transparency.
- Legal experts condemn practices as un-American and call for due process.
- The Trump administration has not acknowledged many individuals on deportation lists.
Flight Logs Reveal Missing Deportees from March Flights
In a disturbing revelation, flight logs have unveiled that dozens of people were unaccounted for during deportation trips from Texas to El Salvador in March. Immigrant rights advocates are expressing alarm over these findings, which they say highlight a shocking absence of due process. The records come from a hacker who breached the systems of the airline involved, frustratingly confirming fears that many deported have simply vanished without acknowledgment from the Trump administration or any legal recourse.
Concerns Heightened Over Missing Individuals’ Status
According to reports from 404 Media, the flight manifests indicate that the number of deportees headed to El Salvador’s controversial Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) may far exceed official counts. Initially, CBS News documented 238 deportees, but the new information places the total at approximately 281 individuals. This alarming figure raises critical questions about where these individuals are now, especially since a federal court had issued a block on the flights before they occurred. Michelle Brané, a prominent figure from the immigrant rights organization Together and Free, expressed her outrage, highlighting the lack of any record or acknowledgment of these individuals by the U.S. government, stating that their current status remains utterly unknown.
Families Demand Accountability for Loved Ones
Adding to the harrowing narratives, one family has publicly protested the disappearance of their son, Keider Alexander Flores Navas. His mother shared her anguish via a TikTok video, recounting how her communication abruptly ceased on the day deportation flights took off. After seeing him in a photo among CECOT prisoners, she revealed that he was never officially listed as deported. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, described the situation as a ‘horror story’ and criticized the administration’s actions, claiming that many of those deported had entered the U.S. legally and should never have faced such treatment. The lack of transparency regarding these deportations only adds to the gravity of the situation, with urgent calls for accountability ringing out from legal advocates.
Legal Experts Call for Transparency Amid Outcry
As more troubling details continue to emerge, legal experts and human rights activists stress the importance of public awareness regarding the fates of these deported individuals. They argue that transparency is essential, especially in light of statements from Salvadoran officials asserting that the U.S. has jurisdiction over those currently held in CECOT. Lee Gelernt, an ACLU attorney, emphasized the critical nature of uncovering the identities of those sent to what he described as a ‘gulag-type prison.’ Amidst this chaos, advocates are fiercely pushing for an end to the political machinations that led to these disappearances, demanding that the federal government provide the necessary information to the families affected, who have a right to know the whereabouts of their loved ones.
The recent exposure of unaccounted deportees from the Trump administration’s flights to El Salvador has raised urgent questions about due process and government accountability. With the flight manifests now revealing a potential total of 281 deported individuals, there is a pressing need for transparency regarding their current statuses. As families seek justice and clarity, advocates continue to urge for an end to the callous practices surrounding deportations.