EPISODE · Apr 17, 2025 · 34 MIN
El Salvador And The U.S.: What You Need To Know
from Beerocracy!® · host Emily Gross
If you’ve seen El Salvador in the news and want to understand what’s really happening — this is the episode you need to hear.El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has emerged as one of Donald Trump’s strongest international allies in the crackdown on immigration — and at the heart of that alliance is CECOT, the country’s massive mega-prison.In this episode, we uncover how migrants deported from the U.S. — often without due process — are being funneled into CECOT under the radar, raising serious human rights concerns.Joining me is Mneesha Gellman, associate professor at Emerson College and expert witness in Salvadoran U.S. asylum cases, to unpack the real story behind the headlines. We trace the roots of El Salvador’s gang violence, Bukele’s rise to power, and the brutal reality inside CECOT.We also break down the evolving relationship between Bukele and Trump, and examine the chilling case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland resident mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned. Read some of Mneesha's most recent articles:https://theconversation.com/beatings-overcrowding-and-food-deprivation-us-deportees-face-distressing-human-rights-conditions-in-el-salvadors-mega-prison-250739https://jacobin.com/2025/04/el-salvador-bukele-trump-authoritarianism
What this episode covers
If you’ve seen El Salvador in the news and want to understand what’s really happening — this is the episode you need to hear.El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has emerged as one of Donald Trump’s strongest international allies in the crackdown on immigration — and at the heart of that alliance is CECOT, the country’s massive mega-prison.In this episode, we uncover how migrants deported from the U.S. — often without due process — are being funneled into CECOT under the radar, raising serious human rights concerns.Joining me is Mneesha Gellman, associate professor at Emerson College and expert witness in Salvadoran U.S. asylum cases, to unpack the real story behind the headlines. We trace the roots of El Salvador’s gang violence, Bukele’s rise to power, and the brutal reality inside CECOT.We also break down the evolving relationship between Bukele and Trump, and examine the chilling case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland resident mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned. Read some of Mneesha's most recent articles:https://theconversation.com/beatings-overcrowding-and-food-deprivation-us-deportees-face-distressing-human-rights-conditions-in-el-salvadors-mega-prison-250739https://jacobin.com/2025/04/el-salvador-bukele-trump-authoritarianism
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El Salvador And The U.S.: What You Need To Know
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