"Oopsie, too late"

Ava Cai

March 29, 2025

During and after El Salvador’s brutal civil war, which was from 1979 to 1992 and claimed over 75,000 lives, thousands of refugees flooded into the United States. As they navigated into the city of Los Angeles, they inadvertently brought with them the seeds of the most notorious street gangs in American history. Young Salvadoran men, who were forcibly recruited by the military or by competing gangs, found themselves disconnected from their homeland and faced serious economic marginalization in the new country. They were constantly being targeted by existing street gangs, which drove them to look for solutions. These extreme conditions led to the birth of multiple organizations, such as MS-13, 18th Street, and Tren de Aragua, which quickly transformed from loose networks for protection and community to highly dangerous criminal enterprises.

Last week, President Trump used the Alien Enemies Act to send hundreds of these gang members to El Salvador’s most infamous prison—The Terrorism Confinement Center, also known as CECOT. However, this has sparked much controversy. The Alien Enemies Act permits the president to detain foreigners under custody in times of conflict, such as war. The Trump administration used it to back up the removal of individuals suspected to be connected with criminal organizations, which many officials challenged. 

When a federal judge ordered the planes carrying the deportees to return to the U.S., the order was ignored, and the aircrafts continued on their way to El Salvador. El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, also posted on X, saying, “Oopsie…too late” in response to the federal judge’s orders. The orders ignored by President Trump were questioned as to whether the White House was brazenly defying judicial authority. White House officials responded that the judge’s order was not enforceable and claimed that it was given orally rather than written down. They also argued that the planes had already departed by the time the ruling was made, making it difficult for the operation to halt. On the other hand, critics argue that the refusal to comply with the court order risks undermining the checks and balances system that remains fundamental to the U.S. Constitution. Moreover, President Trump’s handling of such issues reflects his continued disregard for judicial limitations—a theme that has run through many of his controversial actions since taking office. 

President Trump also faces multiple lawsuits and challenges to policies ranging from his immigration strategy to his efforts to decrease the federal workforce. As matters continue, Trump’s administration is preparing itself to appeal to the Supreme Court, where the outcome of many of these legal issues will be decided.