The Truth About El Salvador's Mega Prison

Thu Aug 07 2025

We’re starting to hear the horror stories from some of the Venezuelan men who the Trump Administration deported to the Salvadoran super-max prison known as CECOT. Many of the migrants, who were abruptly released and sent back to Venezuela last month as part of a prisoner exchange with the U.S., allege they suffered physical, psychological and sexual abuse during their detention. At least one man is trying to sue the U.S. government over his time in CECOT. And then there’s Andry José Hernández Romero, the gay makeup artist whose story garnered national attention after his arrest. He says he faced constant harassment in the prison because of his sexual orientation. Melissa Shepard, director of legal services at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center and one of Romero’s legal representatives, joins us to talk his story and others who were detained at CECOT. And in headlines: President Donald Trump suggested he may soon meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Texas Democrats...

Summary

Podcast Summary: What A Day – "The Truth About El Salvador's Mega Prison"

Episode Details:

Title: The Truth About El Salvador's Mega Prison
Release Date: August 7, 2025
Host: Jane Coaston
Podcast: What A Day by Crooked Media

Introduction to the Issue

In this episode of What A Day, host Jane Coaston dives deep into a pressing human rights concern involving the United States' deportation practices and the establishment of El Salvador’s supermax prison, CECOT (Centro de Comercio y Tratamiento). The discussion centers around the involuntary deportation of migrants, primarily from Venezuela, to a facility notorious for its harsh conditions and allegations of abuse.

Background on CECOT and U.S. Deportation Practices

Jane begins by outlining the U.S. government's effort under the Trump administration to deport hundreds of migrants to El Salvador's CECOT prison. Officials claimed these individuals were violent gang members, though evidence was scant. The deportations targeted migrants without substantial criminal records, raising serious ethical and legal questions.

Jane Coaston [00:02]: "The Salvadoran supermax prison to which the Trump administration has deported hundreds of migrants. Officials allege these men were violent gang members with little evidence."

Horror Stories from Deported Migrants

The episode highlights harrowing accounts from migrants who were detained at CECOT. Juan Jose Ramos, a Venezuelan deportee, shared his traumatic experiences, including physical abuse by prison staff.

Jane Coaston [01:10]: "Ramos says he was in the middle of his immigration case when he was deported. He says there, all the officers would come in and beat you many times."

Further testimonies reveal widespread physical, psychological, and sexual abuse within the facility. One notable case is that of Andre Jose Hernandez Romero, a gay makeup artist whose ordeal received national attention due to the targeted harassment he faced because of his sexual orientation.

In-Depth Interview with Melissa Shepherd

To shed more light on these abuses, Jane interviews Melissa Shepherd, Director of Legal Services at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, who represents several deported individuals, including Andre Romero.

Andre Romero’s Ordeal

Melissa recounts Andre Romero's journey:

Seeking Asylum: Romero fled Venezuela due to persecution based on his LGBT identity and political reasons.
Detention and Deportation: Despite following proper procedures for asylum, he was detained and abruptly deported to Texas without prior notice.
Arrival at CECOT: Instead of being transferred to a safer location, Romero was sent to CECOT under false pretense and subjected to severe abuse.

Melissa Shepherd [04:27]: "He has a few tattoos, very artsy types of tattoos. He's got a snake, butterfly, flowers. But most notably, he had tattoos on each of his wrists that were crowns."

Misrepresentation and False Accusations

Romero and others were wrongfully accused of gang affiliation based solely on their tattoos, which were culturally significant and unrelated to any criminal activity.

Melissa Shepherd [05:23]: "The crowns are actually associated with a Three Kings festival that he has celebrated in his hometown since he was a young child."

Conditions at CECOT

The deportees were misled about their destination and faced brutal conditions upon arrival:

Immediate Abuse: Upon landing, migrants were beaten and subjected to inhumane treatment.
Living Conditions: Forced head-shaving, constant beatings, inadequate sleep, and psychological torment were rampant.
Lack of Due Process: None of the deported individuals had criminal records, with Andre being the first-time detainee.

Melissa Shepherd [05:32]: "They were told initially that they were being sent to Venezuela. And so when the plane landed in El Salvador and they were told to get off of the plane, they did not want to get off."

Legal Actions and Current Status

Melissa discusses the ongoing legal battles, including lawsuits filed by deportees like Andre Romero against the U.S. government for violating due process rights. A significant court ruling by Judge Boasberg highlighted these violations, mandating the government to find remedies for the affected individuals.

Melissa Shepherd [11:16]: "Judge Boasberg did say that these men had their due process rights violated and so the government was supposed to return with a way in which they could provide some remedy to these men."

All deportees have since been returned to Venezuela, reuniting with their families, though the psychological scars remain.

Concluding Insights

The episode underscores the severe human rights implications of the U.S. deportation policies and the misuse of international detention facilities like CECOT. It calls for greater accountability and legal reforms to prevent such abuses in the future.

Andre Romero [09:01]: "We have to clear our names. We are not bad men. We are human beings."

Melissa emphasizes the importance of sharing these stories to prevent recurrence:

Melissa Shepherd [10:35]: "The men who were sent to Seekot really want to share their story so that this does not continue to happen."

Final Thoughts

Jane Coaston's comprehensive exploration of the deportations to CECOT sheds light on systemic injustices faced by vulnerable migrants. Through detailed interviews and poignant testimonies, the episode advocates for justice and humane treatment of all individuals within immigration systems.

Notable Quotes:

Jane Coaston [00:02]: "The Salvadoran supermax prison to which the Trump administration has deported hundreds of migrants. Officials allege these men were violent gang members with little evidence."
Melissa Shepherd [04:27]: "He has a few tattoos, very artsy types of tattoos... But most notably, he had tattoos on each of his wrists that were crowns."
Jane Coaston [05:23]: "They were told initially that they were being sent to Venezuela. And so when the plane landed in El Salvador... they did not want to get off."
Melissa Shepherd [11:16]: "Judge Boasberg did say that these men had their due process rights violated..."
Andre Romero [09:01]: "We have to clear our names. We are not bad men. We are human beings."

This summary encapsulates the critical discussions and revelations presented in the episode, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the injustices related to El Salvador's CECOT prison and the broader implications of U.S. deportation policies.

Transcript

Jane Coastin (0:02)

It's Thursday, August 7th. I'm Jane Coastin, and this is what a day. The show shouting out the New Zealand Air Force for rescuing three people from a US Research base in Antarctica despite the complete darkness of Antarctic winter and temperatures at minus 10 Fahrenheit. On a related note, I will not be traveling to Antarctica in winter. On today's show, Texas Dems face a bomb threat at their hotel as they protest redistricting votes. And the Department of Homeland Security lifts age limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and offers some major incentives. But let's start by talking about the Terrorism Confinement center, or ccat. That's the Salvadoran supermax prison to which the Trump administration has deported hundreds of migrants. Officials allege these men were violent gang members with little evidence. We are starting to hear the horror stories from some of the Venezuelan men who were sent there about four months ago until they were abruptly released last month in a prisoner exchange. ProPublica published an interview with one of those men on Wednesday. His name is Juan Jose Ramos. Ramos. He came to the US Legally during the Biden administration. Ramos says he was in the middle of his immigration case when he was deported. He says prior to his detention at sicat, he'd never been to jail in his life. He says there, all the officers would come in and beat you many times. It was even the prison director who hit you. I can barely see through one eye from all the blows to the head. His story is not unique. In an interview with NBC News, three men sent to CECOT alleged that they suffered physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. At least one migrant sent to Seekot is starting the process of suing the US Government over his detention in El Salvador. And then there's Andre Jose Hernandez Romero. His story garnered national attention after his arrest. He's a gay makeup artist who was seeking asylum in the US because of his sexual orientation. Since his release from ccat, Romero has said he faced constant harassment in the prison because of his sexual orientation. So to talk more about CKAT and what the men our country sent there endured, I spoke to Melissa shepherd, director of Legal services at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center. She is one of Romero's legal representatives. Melissa, welcome to what a Day.

Melissa Shepherd (2:30)

Thank you so much for having me.

Jane Coastin (2:32)

You represent Andre Romero, a Venezuelan makeup artist who was sent to seekat. He's been speaking out since returning, but can you tell us a little bit about his story and how he ended up there?

Melissa Shepherd (2:42)

Yeah, sure. So Andre fled Venezuela last year and came to the US Border seeking asylum. And he did it the way he was supposed to. The administration at that time rolled out the CBP1 application. He waited patiently for an appointment, appeared for his appointment, and unfortunately, he never stepped foot freely in the US and was immediately sent to an immigration detention center. He actually came to the United States seeking asylum because as a LGBT individual, he was persecuted in Venezuela and he also fled for political reasons. So he came to the US Seeking safety. He was detained, and he began looking for legal representation. We began representing him late 2024 and had already filed his asylum application when in March, he was sent to Texas without any notice to us, without any notice to him. And now, in hindsight, we're realizing he was told that he was being taken to a better place, when in fact, he was being staged in Texas for one of those flights that went to the notorious prison in El Salvador.