The government is enlisting—or coercing—other countries into joining its efforts to purge immigrants from the United States.

The article discusses the US government's controversial tactic of 'border externalization,' which involves using other countries to enforce its immigration restrictions beyond its borders. This strategy, markedly accelerated under the second Trump administration, has seen Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem visiting facilities like the CECOT in El Salvador. The administration appears to be circumventing legal hurdles by relocating migrants, particularly Venezuelans, to facilities like CECOT, often without transparent legal justification. The administration purportedly aims to expedite removal operations, leveraging legal loopholes like the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The process involves cooperation with other nations like El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala, sometimes under controversial bilateral agreements. The administration's strategy reportedly minimizes oversight and accountability, a point underscored in existing and ongoing judicial challenges. Analysts and litigators argue this strategy not only infringes on migrants' rights but also positions the US to sidestep its due process obligations. The article critiques the expedience and legality of these actions and examines international oversight as a potential solution to hold the US accountable.