Merwil Gutiérrez, was deported to El Salvador’s notorious super prison, despite his family’s insistence that he has no gang ties or criminal history.
Federal immigration authorities apprehended a 19-year-old in New York despite realizing he was not the intended target.
The young man, Merwil Gutiérrez, was later deported to El Salvador’s notorious super prison, despite his family’s insistence that he has no gang ties or criminal history.
His father, Wilmer Gutiérrez, is now searching for answers after his son was snatched by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
« The officers grabbed him and two other boys right at the entrance to our building. One said, ‘No, he’s not the one’, like they were looking for someone else. But the other said, ‘Take him anyway' », Wilmer told Documented, « an independent, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting for immigrant communities in New York City. »
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele responded Monday to questions about the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, stating that he lacked the authority to return individuals sent by the U.S. to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
This remark came amid growing criticism of the government’s handling of due process, opponents accusing the administration of bypassing legal safeguards in its treatment of deportees. Critics argue that Garcia’s deportation reflects a broader pattern of disregarding constitutional rights, sparking concerns over the erosion of legal protections in the country’s justice system.
President Donald Trump has pledged to conduct the largest deportation operation in American history as his administration looks to remove millions of undocumented immigrants.
