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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed deep concern over the mass deportations of foreign nationals from the United States, particularly the transfer of hundreds to a high-security prison in El Salvador.
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, Türk warned that the removals raise “serious concerns” regarding a range of rights protected under both US and international law. His comments follow the deportation of more than 142,000 individuals from the United States this year, according to official data cited by his office.
The UN is especially alarmed by the case of at least 245 Venezuelans and around 30 Salvadorans who were reportedly flown to El Salvador and held at the controversial CECOT prison after President Donald Trump invoked the rarely used 1798 Alien Enemies Act in March. The individuals are accused of ties to the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua.
Although US courts have temporarily suspended deportations under the Act, citing violations of due process, the fate and current status of many deportees remain unknown.
According to the UN rights office, relatives and lawyers of over 100 Venezuelans believe they are being held in the CECOT facility. Concerns have been raised that many were unaware they would be deported to a third country and had no access to legal counsel or the opportunity to contest their removal before being expelled.
“No official lists of the detainees have been released by either US or Salvadoran authorities, and their legal standing in El Salvador is still unclear,” the statement said.
Türk described accounts from families as “harrowing”, with many expressing anguish over their loved ones being treated as violent criminals or even terrorists without trial.
“The way some individuals were detained and deported — including the use of shackles — and the degrading rhetoric used to describe migrants, is profoundly troubling,” he said.
While praising the efforts of US judges, lawyers, and civil society organisations in pushing back against the deportations, Türk urged the US government to comply fully with court rulings and halt any removals to countries where individuals face a credible risk of torture or irreversible harm.
He stressed the need to protect children’s rights and ensure due process for all, warning that continued deportations under such circumstances could breach international legal obligations.
