Albuquerque, N.M. — A federal court ruled on Sunday that the Trump administration cannot send three Venezuelan immigrants, who are being held in New Mexico, to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This decision comes as part of the president’s stricter immigration policies.
Earlier that day, lawyers for the three men argued that the administration was targeting Venezuelan immigrants, especially those detained in the El Paso area. The men were accused of having ties to a gang called Tren de Aragua, but their lawyers said these charges were false.
The lawyers asked a U.S. District Court in New Mexico to stop the transfer, saying the government’s actions created too much uncertainty about the men’s legal rights and access to attorneys. During a short court hearing, Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales agreed to block the transfer temporarily. However, the government opposed this decision.
“This is only a short-term decision. The case will be reviewed again in the coming weeks,” said Jessica Vosburgh, an attorney for the three men.
The request to stop the transfer was part of a lawsuit filed by several groups, including the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, and Las Americas Immigrant Advisory Center.
Tren de Aragua is a gang that started over ten years ago in a Venezuelan prison. As millions of Venezuelans have fled their country due to political and economic crises, the gang has expanded into other parts of Latin America and the U.S.
Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that some detainees had already been sent to Guantanamo. Immigration rights groups have asked to meet with those being held there, arguing that the base should not be used as a place where people have no legal rights.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that since President Trump’s second term began on January 20, more than 8,000 people have been arrested in immigration operations. Trump has promised to deport millions of the estimated 11.7 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.