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Fact check: When did this deportation allegedly occur and under what circumstances?
1. Summary of the results
The deportation occurred on March 15-16, 2025, involving three specific GlobalX flights departing from Harlingen, Texas [1]. The operation specifically targeted Venezuelan migrants aged 14 and older who were allegedly associated with the Tren de Aragua gang [1]. The exact timeline was:
- GlobalX Flight 6143 departed at 5:26 p.m.
- GlobalX Flight 6145 departed at 5:45 p.m.
- GlobalX Flight 6122 departed at 7:37 p.m. [2]
The planes landed in Honduras and El Salvador between 12:10 a.m. and 1:08 a.m. ET on March 16 [1].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
Several crucial contextual elements need to be considered:
- The deportations were carried out under President Trump's authority using the Alien Enemies Act [1]
- A federal judge, James Boasberg, had issued both verbal and written orders to halt these deportations, which were ignored [2]
- This operation occurred in the broader context of Trump's "Securing our Border" executive order, signed on his first day in office [3]
- As of November 2024, there were over 1.4 million foreign nationals with final removal orders in the US [3]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question's use of "allegedly" suggests uncertainty about the event, but multiple credible news sources (CNN and New York Times) have confirmed and documented the specific details of these deportations [1] [2]. However, several competing interests are at play:
- Government perspective: The Trump administration benefits from portraying this as a necessary security measure against gang members [1]
- Legal concerns: The operation's continuation despite a federal judge's order raises serious legal and constitutional questions [2]
- Broader immigration context: This event is part of a larger immigration enforcement strategy, with significant numbers of potential deportees from various countries, including Somalia [4] [5] and Nigeria [6] [7] [3]