DEAR EDITOR:

I am writing about the deportation of more than 200 Venezuelans to a harsh prison in El Salvador. They have been “disappeared.” Their names are not published. We are paying $6 million a year to house them there.

The Trump administration alleges that they are members of a Venezuelan gang, but they had no opportunity to defend themselves against this charge.

A U.S. district judge, James Boasberg, ordered the flight carrying them to El Salvador to turn around, but the administration claims that it was a verbal order, and therefore, did not have to be followed. And the administration says it is invoking the “state secrets privilege” in refusing to provide details demanded by the judge.

Videos of this prison make it clear that the inmates are treated brutally. Upon arrival, their hands are shackled behind their backs and their feet are shackled as well. They are hooded and bent over with guards pushing down on their backs. In this prison, no visitors are allowed and the inmates are never allowed outdoors. There are no workshops or educational programs.

This is only one of the many ways in which immigrants are treated badly by the U.S. Those legal immigrants who hold green cards or visas are being threatened or deported because of their political views.

Undocumented immigrants are accused of being rapists and murderers, yet statistics show that immigrants commit much less crime than citizens.

I have been privileged to know some of these immigrants and I would only say that the ones I have met are wonderful people. They are coming here for the same reasons many of our ancestors (grandparents and beyond) came, hoping for a better life and escaping harsh conditions. We do not accept them, even though they enhance our economy, taking jobs that others do not want.

If we continue persecuting these immigrants, will we as citizens be next?

JANET FORMICHELLI

Beaver Township