The family of Ysqueibel Peñaloza, wrongly held for months in CECOT, rejoices upon his return to Venezuela. Images courtesy of the Immigrant DefendersWith the release of prisoners held in CECOT, we have reason to celebrate, and ample reason to litigate.After four harrowing months, 252 Venezuelan nationals were finally sprung from El Salvador’s hellish CECOT prison, swapped for 10 Americans held in Venezuela by the Maduro regime. Notably, this occurred after nonstop pressure from civil rights and immigrants rights groups and sustained protests around the country. It also occurred long after the Trump White House repeatedly gaslit the American public and our federal courts over its supposed lack of jurisdiction over the men once they were in El Salvador.As I’ll discuss below, the release of the men from CECOT is a crucial first step and one we should celebrate. But there’s still a long road ahead for many of the original
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