“You Are All Terrorists”: Inside the Harrowing Four‑Month Detention of Migrants in a Salvadoran Prison

The Times has published a damning account based on interviews with dozens of Central American men who were transferred to a high‑security prison in El Salvador after being expelled from the United States under the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” and “Zero Tolerance” policies.According to the migrants, who arrived in the facility in late July, the conditions they endured were far worse than any standard detention center. They describe being confined to overcrowded cells, denied adequate food and clean water, subjected to constant verbal abuse, and forced to endure physical beatings and electric shocks. “From the moment we stepped inside, they shouted ‘You are all terrorists!’ and beat us with batons,” one 28‑year‑old Guatemalan, who asked to remain anonymous for safety, told The Times.The men, most of whom had been arrested while crossing the U.S.–Mexico border and subsequently deported, say they were held for four months without formal charges, legal counsel, or any clear explanation of their status. Their testimonies include reports of night‑time interrogations, isolation in “punishment cells” for up to 48 hours, and the use of “stress positions” that left several detainees with lasting spinal injuries.Independent forensic analysts hired by human‑rights groups have reviewed the accounts, medical records, and physical evidence collected from former inmates. Dr. Elena Martínez, a forensic psychiatrist who examined several of the men after their release, said the pattern of injuries and psychological trauma is “highly consistent with systematic torture.” She added that the reported practices “meet the United Nations’ definition of torture, which includes any act causing severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, intentionally inflicted for purposes such as intimidation or punishment.”The findings echo earlier reports from Salvadoran NGOs, which have long warned that the nation’s penitentiary system is plagued by overcrowding, corruption, and a culture of brutality. “What we are seeing is a continuation of a system that treats migrants as disposable enemies rather than human beings,” said Carlos Méndez, director of the human‑rights organization Justicia y Libertad. “The involvement of U.S. immigration enforcement only amplifies the problem, creating a pipeline that feeds these abuses.”In response to the allegations, the Salvadoran Ministry of Justice issued a brief statement claiming that “all detainees are treated in accordance with national and international law.” However, the ministry declined to provide detailed records or allow independent observers into the prison.U.S. officials have so far remained silent on the specific cases, though a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security noted that “the United States does not condone any form of mistreatment of individuals in foreign facilities and expects our partner nations to uphold human‑rights standards.”Legal experts warn that the revelations could spark renewed litigation against the U.S. government for violating the rights of deported migrants. “If the evidence holds up, there could be a strong argument that the U.S. bears responsibility for exposing these individuals to foreseeable torture,” said immigration attorney Maya Patel of the Center for Constitutional Rights.The four‑month ordeal has left many of the former detainees with lasting physical injuries and severe post‑traumatic stress. Several have reported being unable to return to work, fearing retaliation from both Salvadoran authorities and criminal gangs that control parts of the prison.Human‑rights advocates are calling for an immediate, independent investigation into the prison’s practices and for the United States to halt deportations to facilities where torture is alleged to occur. As the story continues to develop, the testimonies of these men serve as a stark reminder of the human cost hidden behind immigration policies and international cooperation.