Human Rights Watch — US: Deported Salvadorans Abused, Killed US: Deported Salvadorans Abused, Killed

The United States government is deporting Salvadorans to face risk of murder and other serious abuse, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 117-page report, “Deported to Danger: United States Deportation Policies Expose Salvadorans to Death and Abuse,” identifies cases of 138 Salvadorans who, since 2013, were killed after deportation from the United States, and more than 70 others who were beaten, sexually assaulted, extorted, or tortured. Perpetrators of these abuses include gangs, former intimate partners, and Salvadoran police or security personnel.

Based on a year and a half of research in El Salvador and the United States, Human Rights Watch interviewed close to 150 people for the report, including deportees, surviving family members, Salvadoran nongovernmental workers, government officials, and US immigration attorneys.

The deported killed or abused Salvadorans featured in the report include:
 

“Jacinto K.,” who with his wife had been ordered deported from the United States after living there for several years and returned to El Salvador with their three children, including Óscar, who we interviewed when he was 15 years old. Jacinto was shot dead in public just two weeks after our interview. The family believes gang members to be responsible for the killing. Óscar now moves between houses in hiding.

“Adriana J.,” a former Salvadoran policewoman, who fled to the United States after being threatened by gangs, was denied asylum and deported back to El Salvador in 2015 or later, where gang members shot her in 2017.

“Angelina N.,” who fled abuse at the hands of a male gang member but was deported in 2014 and who was raped repeatedly by the same gang member after her return to El Salvador.

Cousins “Walter T.” and “Gaspar T.” fled gang recruitment when they were 16 and 17 years old, respectively. They were denied asylum and deported by the United States to El Salvador in 2019. Soon after arriving back in the country, police officers took them from their homes and held them in the police barracks, where police beat them repeatedly while claiming they would be charged with gang membership. After three days in custody, police released Walter and Gaspar without charges.

“Gabriel G.,” who worked in the Salvadoran military and was therefore targeted by gangs, fled to the United States but was deported in 2018. Now gang members harass Gabriel, his wife, and children regularly. They come to the gate in front of his house and threaten to kill him.

KJ