Trump deported 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador. Dozens have active asylum cases

Alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison sit on the floor, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - On a Thursday morning last month, immigration agents knocked on the door of Leonel Echavez' Dallas home looking for someone else. Despite an upcoming immigration hearing, the 19-year-old Venezuelan was taken into custody for questioning about his tattoos.

Two days later, he was on a plane heading to El Salvador's most notorious prison.