The Mega-Prison in El Salvador: Justice for Rengel
Case Summary
In May 2025, ICE seized a lawful asylum-seeker named Adrián Rengel from his home in New York and sent him to an El Salvadoran mega-prison where he was brutally abused. LULAC has worked with Rengel to bring a lawsuit against the US government seeking compensation for the wrongs done him.
“The actions of DHS and other federal agencies in this case represent a complete abandonment of civil and human rights,” said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Chairman of the Board. “LULAC will not stand by as Latino men and women are targeted simply because of how they look or speak. These are not so-called ‘criminal aliens.’ These are hardworking individuals who contribute to our nation's prosperity and public safety. We will continue to fight back against these illegal actions that not only devastate families but also undermine our economy and destroy trust in our government.”
“You don’t have to be a constitutional scholar for the Rengel case to set off alarms. If you’re an American who believes in justice at all, this case should be shocking. Detaining and disappearing someone without cause or access to legal recourse is illegal and abhorrent,” said Amb. Norm Eisen, executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund. “This kind of conduct may be straight out of the Trump playbook on immigration, but it has nothing to do with the American Constitution or our values.”
“We conducted an exhaustive review of the facts and concluded that Mr. Rengel's case is a travesty of justice that demands national attention,” said Juan Proaño, LULAC Chief Executive Officer. “His story is a wake-up call for every American who believes in the promise of the Constitution and the rule of law. We must not allow political agendas to trample due process and the fundamental rights guaranteed to all people in this country.”
Neiyerver Adrián Leon Rengel is a 27-year-old man who applied for asylum, passed legally into the United States, and regularly showed up for his court dates as his asylum case proceeded through the system. Rengel worked as a barber in New York City, where he lived with his girlfriend and helped to raise her daughter.
On Rengel’s 27th birthday, ICE officials grabbed him in a parking lot. After a cursory glance at his tattoos, they falsely claimed that he was a member of a Venezuelan gang. Rengel was given no opportunity to make a phone call or speak to a lawyer. Two days later, ICE agents lied that they were about to deport him to Venezuela; instead, they illegally sent him to the mega-prison in El Salvador.
In the El Salvadoran megaprison, Rengel was brutally beaten with fists and clubs, confined to a 10’x10’ cell with 18 other detainees, denied his medication, and given no opportunity to speak to a lawyer or his family. ICE also refused to notify Rengel’s family of his location. After four months, Rengel was sent to Venezuela due to a prisoner exchange.
The Federal Tort Claims Act gives some people wronged by the US government the right to sue and receive compensation for the harms done them. LULAC has assisted Rengel in filing a lawsuit to recover at least some compensation for the illegal acts done to him during this process.
Litigation
Case Type: Voting Rights
Legal Documents
07/24/2025 Complaint
Press Releases
July 24, 2025 LULAC Makes History, Confronts DHS in Formal Action over Illegal Deportation of Adrian Rengel
In the News
August 1, 2025, Miami Herald
‘Scared to die’: Venezuelan who Was Held in Megaprison Files Complaint Against U.S.
He once dreamed of being recognized for his work — but instead, the U.S. sent him to a mega-prison in El Salvador. Branded a gang member and a terrorist, he spent four months behind bars. Now, after his release and return to Venezuela, he’s determined to clear his name.
July 27, 2025, NPR
'Hell on Earth': Venezuelans Deported to El Salvador Mega-Prison Tell of Brutal Abuse
Since their release, NPR has spoken with Terán and two other former detainees about their time at CECOT. They described being subjected to violence — and, in some cases, sexual abuse — by prison guards, denied adequate food, and forced to endure inhumane conditions.
May 7, 2025, The New York Times
Federal Judge Casts Doubt on Trump Arguments in Venezuelan Migrants Case
The judge pressed a lawyer for the Justice Department on the government’s role and responsibilities in the men’s deportation and incarceration in El Salvador.
April 18, 2025, The New York Times
Inside the ‘Tropical Gulag’ in El Salvador Where U.S. Detainees Are Being Held
A U.S. senator was allowed to meet with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, but he was denied access to where Mr. Abrego Garcia had been held. What is that prison like?