"Filled with Individuals Designated as Terrorists"
"We Will Arrest and Deport Those Who Threaten Public Safety and National Security"
Tom Homan, the U.S. border czar, refuted claims that some of the approximately 200 illegal immigrants deported to El Salvador on the 15th were not gang members, despite being deported due to alleged ties to the Venezuela-based international gang 'Tren de Aragua' (TdA).
Leading large-scale deportation operations against illegal immigrants since the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration, Homan stated in an interview with ABC on the 23rd (local time), "The plane carrying the deportees was filled with individuals designated as terrorists."
He added, "All Venezuelan immigrants on the plane were TdA members based on numerous criminal investigations, intelligence reports, and the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers."
Homan also acknowledged that some gang members had no criminal records. He said, "There are many terrorists in the world, but they are like those not listed in the terrorist database."
Following this deportation, some deportees' attorneys have protested, claiming that U.S. immigration authorities considered individuals with certain tattoos as gang members and forcibly deported them.
In particular, Reyes Barrios, a former professional Venezuelan soccer player, was reportedly deported because he had a tattoo resembling the logo of the prestigious Spanish professional soccer team Real Madrid, according to his lawyer.
Regarding this, Homan said, "As you know, there are 260 cases, so I will not comment on every specific case," emphasizing, "We have to trust the people carrying out this work." He continued, "They designated these individuals as TdA members through various law enforcement methods," adding, "This issue will be resolved through litigation."
Furthermore, concerning U.S. District Judge James Boasberg of Washington D.C. criticizing and halting the U.S. authorities' enforcement of the deportation under the 'Adversarial Nations Act' (AEA), Homan stated, "We will comply with the court's orders during the litigation process," but added, "We do not care what judges think. We will continue to arrest and deport those who pose threats to public safety and national security."
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