SEN CHRIS COONS has warned that the Trump administration’s potential suspension of due process could put American citizens at risk of being wrongly deported, citing multiple instances of mistaken detentions and deportations. The administration is reportedly paying millions to the El Salvadoran government to hold deportees in the country, with many individuals having no criminal record. These mistakes are expected to increase as the administration aims to meet its deportation targets, which could result in more errors due to the increased pace of operations.
Coons highlights the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador earlier this year, with the administration acknowledging the removal as an administrative error. The administration claims that many deportees are gang members, but most have no criminal history. The evidence cited by the government includes items such as tattoos of their favorite soccer team or a Chicago Bulls hat.
Other cases include the detention of U.S. citizens like Jose Hermosillo, Julio Noriega, and Bachir Atallah, who were all either arrested or detained without proper verification of their citizenship. These incidents have raised concerns about the accuracy of the administration’s deportation process and the potential for more such errors as mass deportations ramp up.
Coons argues that the due process safeguards in the Constitution, such as the Fifth Amendment, are essential to protect citizens from wrongful deportation. He criticizes the administration’s attempt to eliminate these protections, including the removal of legal safeguards like habeas corpus. The administration is reportedly considering suspending this right, which would allow them to deport individuals without due process, potentially leading to the wrongful deportation of citizens like Coons himself.
Coons emphasizes that the deportation process needs to be expedited, but at the same time, due process must be maintained. He supports legislation to invest in hiring officers and immigration judges to speed up the process, rather than eliminating legal protections. He warns that the current approach could lead to the wrongful deportation of any individual, including those who are not criminals but are simply mistaken by the administration.