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Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kilmar Abrego Garcia describes ‘severe beatings' and ‘psychological torture' in Salvadoran prison
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose illegal deportation by the Trump administration captured national attention, is now offering a chilling account of his mistreatment in a Salvadoran prison, claiming he suffered 'severe beatings,' sleep deprivation, malnutrition and other forms of torture at the hands of his jailers. Abrego, a native of El Salvador, revealed details of his time in the country's notorious anti-terrorism prison in a legal filing Wednesday. It's the first time he has provided a firsthand description of his experience after the Trump administration summarily deported him there in March in violation of a court order. The administration for months resisted a judge's command to bring Abrego back to the United States. But last month, federal prosecutors secured an indictment against him in Tennessee for human smuggling. At that point, the administration arranged for him to be released from Salvadoran custody and returned to the U.S. to face those charges. The Salvadoran prison where Abrego was initially housed, known as the Anti-Terrorism Confinement Center or by its Spanish-language acronym CECOT, is reputed to be rife with gang violence and human rights abuses. But there are few first-hand accounts of treatment there because El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, has vowed that its prisoners will never be released. Abrego's account of physical and psychological torture stands in stark contrast to the portrayal by the Trump administration and Bukele, who posted a photo of what he claimed was Abrego having 'margaritas' with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), after the senator secured a meeting with Abrego in April. (Van Hollen has since said the margaritas were staged by Salvadoran officials). The Trump administration told a federal judge in May, after Abrego had been moved out of CECOT to another prison, that he was 'in good health' and had 'gained weight.' But Abrego said he lost 31 pounds at CECOT in his first two weeks there. And he reported witnessing and suffering harrowing violence and abuse. Abrego's lawyers presented his account in a 40-page proposed amendment to a lawsuit over his deportation. Asked about the court filing, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security accused the media of "falling all over themselves to defend Kilmar Abrego Garcia." "The media's sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal gang member has completely fallen apart, yet they continue to peddle his sob story," the spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin, said. Abrego allegedly entered the U.S. illegally around 2011 and had lived in Maryland for more than a decade when the Trump administration deported him. The deportation violated a 2019 order from an immigration judge who barred the U.S. from sending Abrego to El Salvador because he faced a danger of gang violence there. The Supreme Court noted that the deportation was 'illegal' after a Justice Department lawyer admitted that the deportation had been a mistake. In the new court filing, Abrego described being the first person off an airplane in El Salvador after the Trump administration flew him there with more than 200 men on March 15. He recalled bright lights illuminating the airfield and cameras trained on him while officials forcefully guided him — shackled in chains — to a bus. The next day, Bukele triumphantly circulated cinematically edited videos of the deportees being handed over to Salvadoran authorities. The officials repeatedly struck Abrego in the head, his lawyers wrote, summarizing his account. He observed a U.S. immigration agent communicating with the Salvadoran officials 'to confirm the identities of the Salvadoran nationals on board before the bus departed,' the lawyers continued. 'Upon arrival at CECOT, the detainees were greeted by a prison official who stated, 'Welcome to CECOT. Whoever enters here doesn't leave,'' according to the account. 'Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was then forced to strip, issued prison clothing, and subjected to physical abuse including being kicked in the legs with boots and struck on his head and arms to make him change clothes faster. His head was shaved with a zero razor, and he was frog-marched to cell 15, being struck with wooden batons along the way.' 'By the following day, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia had visible bruises and lumps all over his body,' his lawyers continued. Abrego said he shared a cell with 20 other people, who were forced to kneel overnight, 'with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion.' 'During this time, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was denied bathroom access and soiled himself,' according to the account. 'The detainees were confined to metal bunks with no mattresses in an overcrowded cell with no windows, bright lights that remained on 24 hours a day, and minimal access to sanitation.' His lawyers also described 'psychological torture,' with prison officials telling Abrego he would be moved to cells with gang members. Abrego indicated he witnessed violence among inmates in those cells, with prison guards declining to intervene. Abrego was held incommunicado for over a month with no ability to contact his family or consult a lawyer, according to the account. His first contact with the outside world occurred when Van Hollen visited him on April 17, his lawyers wrote. The new court filing also seeks to undercut the Trump administration's claims about Abrego, including the assertion that he is an MS-13 gang member. President Donald Trump has repeatedly made such a claim, even falsely insisting in a TV interview that Abrego has 'MS-13' tattooed on the knuckles of his left hand. However, Abrego claims prison officials at CECOT with extensive experience dealing with MS-13 and other gangs examined his tattoos and saw nothing to signify gang membership. 'The Salvadoran authorities recognized that Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was not affiliated with any gang and, at around this time, prison officials explicitly acknowledged that Plaintiff Abrego Garcia's tattoos were not gang-related, telling him 'your tattoos are fine,'' Abrego's lawyers wrote in the submission to Greenbelt, Maryland-based U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis. Xinis herself has also said that the Justice Department failed to produce evidence to support its allegation that Abrego is affiliated with the gang. Abrego's new court filing also alleges that in the days after Abrego was arrested in Maryland in March, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials lied to him by indicating he'd see a judge before he'd be deported. Those false assurances were part of a deliberate effort 'to prevent him from taking actions to assert his legal rights,' the new complaint says. Abrego is currently detained in Tennessee while his criminal case is pending. Though a federal magistrate judge ordered his release from custody last month, Abrego asked to remain incarcerated until at least mid-July, following conflicting statements from the Trump administration about whether it would rapidly deport him once again — this time to a country other than El Salvador.
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump to start sending out tariff letters as July 9 deadline looms
Time has run out for some US trade partners looking to make deals ahead of President Trump's July 9 deadline for tariffs to snap back to higher levels. Letters will start going out to countries on Friday to notify them of the tariff rates they will face on imports to the US, Trump told reporters, to go into effect on Aug. 1. The first 10 or 12 letters sent out will be followed by similar batches. 'By the ninth they'll be fully covered,' Trump said, per Bloomberg. 'They'll range in value from maybe 60% or 70% tariffs to 10% and 20% tariffs.' The Trump team has so far been focused on hammering out trade deals, though it has succeeded in nailing only three pacts so far.. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said around 100 partners would likely see a minimum "reciprocal" rate of 10% come next week, adding that he expects a "flurry" of deals to materialize before the deadline. Here is where things stand with various partners: China: The US has eased export restrictions on China for chip design software and ethane, a sign that trade tensions are calming between the two countries after they agreed in May to a framework to move toward a larger trade deal. Software firms like Synopsys (SNPS) and Cadence (CDNS) said they will now sell their chip design tools to Chinese customers again. The US also removed limits on ethane exports to China that it had set just weeks ago. Vietnam: Trump on Wednesday said he had reached a trade deal with Vietnam, one that will see the country's imports face a 20% tariff — lower than the 46% he had threatened in April. He also said Vietnamese goods would face a higher 40% tariff "on any transshipping" — when goods shipped from Vietnam originate from another country, like China. Many US goods will see no duty upon import to Vietnam. Japan: Trump earlier this week said negotiations with Japan had soured, saying he would force Japan to accept higher tariffs of "30%, 35%, or whatever the number is that we determine." Notably, that proposal is higher than the 24% "Liberation Day" level. "They're very tough. You have to understand, they're very spoiled," he said. European Union: The EU has signaled it is willing to accept a 10% universal tariff on many of its exports but is seeking exemptions for pharmaceuticals, alcohol, semiconductors, and commercial aircraft as part of a trade deal. Bessent said US-EU talks would continue through the weekend. Trump has threatened 50% tariffs on the bloc's imports. Canada: Canada has scrapped its digital services tax that was set to affect large US technology companies. The White House said trade talks between the two countries had resumed after Trump threatened to cut off trade talks. They are aiming for a deal by mid-July. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world. President Trump said his administration will begin sending letters to trading partners on Friday laying out what tariff rates they will face on imports to the US. Countries will have to start paying the duties from Aug. 1, Trump told reporters on Thursday. The move marks a shift from earlier US optimism that talks would deliver scores of deals with its more than 170 trading partners, under pressure to beat a July 9 tariff deadline. The "take it or leave it" letters go out with just days to go to that deadline for resumption of sweeping tariffs laid out in April by Trump. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US trade deal with Vietnam should be seen as a early sign to Asian countries that higher tariffs are not going anywhere. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Vietnam negotiators said on Thursday that they are still working with the US to finalize the details of the trade deal, which was announced by President Trump on Wednesday. No further details have been provided to businesses and investors beyond the tariff rates disclosed so far. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Treasury Secretary Bessent has been making the rounds today, talking about the Trump tax bill and tariffs as next week's July 9 deadline looms. Per Reuters, Bessent said around 100 countries are likely to see a "reciprocal" tariff of 10%: Bessent also said Trump would ultimately decide whether to extend that July 9 deadline for countries negotiating "in good faith." Bloomberg News reports Read more here. German car exports to the US fell in April and May as import tariffs imposed by the Trump administration hit German automakers' sales, according to data from the VDA industry association. Reuters reports: Read more here. Luxury watch specialist, Watches of Switzerland warned on Thursday that its profit margin could fall this year as the luxury watch sector adjusts to higher US tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. The South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday that it still remains unclear if trade talks between Seoul and Washington can result in a deal before next week's deadline to avert sweeping tariffs from President Donald Trump. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. President Trump has his eye on any loopholes that China may use to swerve tariffs. Trump's two-tired trade deal with Vietnam takes aim at practices China has used to avoid US tariffs, such as the widespread shifting of production to Southeast Asian factories and the illegal "origin washing" of exports through their ports. Beijing has responded and said it was 'conducting an assessment' of the US-Vietnam trade deal, adding: 'We firmly oppose any party striking a deal at the expense of China's interests.' 'If such a situation arises, China will take resolute countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,' the ministry added. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and India are on the verge of sealing the deal when it comes to reducing tariffs. But there appears to be one sticking point ahead of President Trump's July 9 deadline and it centers around dairy and agriculture. Here's an explainer on why farm goods may hold up a trade deal between the two nations. Reuters reports: Read more here. China is growing more worried as President Trump strikes deals with other countries. On Thursday Beijing hit out at the US-Vietnam trade deal, amid concerns that the US is using "Liberation Day" tariff negotiations with countries to curb China's export machine. The deal with Vietnam, which was announced by the US President on Wednesday, lowers tariffs on Hanoi's exports from 46% to 20%, but it retains a 409% levy on t"trans-shipping" of goods, which China believes is aimed at its re-exports to the US. .The FT reports: Read more here. Indonesia plans to sign a $34 billion deal with US businesses next week to increase purchases and help secure a trade agreement before the July 9 deadline, its top economic minister said Thursday. Reuters reports: Read more here. The trade truce between the US and China may be holding for now, but China is becoming wary that it may thaw. Beijing's concerns stem from what may be happening elsewhere and the US's efforts to forge deals that could isolate Chinese firms from global supply chains. The US has removed export restrictions on chip design software and ethene shipments. China has responded by making concessions over its rare earth export controls. But despite this, China is still on edge. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trade negotiations between the US and India have been moving forward. But unresolved issues over US dairy and agriculture have caused some disagreements between the two sides, according to sources familiar with the talks. Reuters reports: Read more here. The US has removed export restrictions on chip design software and ethane shipments to China, easing trade tensions between the two countries. China recently made concessions over its rare earth export controls. Software companies Synopsys (SNPS), Cadence (CDNS), and Siemens (SIEGY) said they will now restore access for their Chinese customers. These firms develop important electronic design automation tools used in chipmaking. The US also lifted licensing rules for ethane producers. Earlier restrictions were part of Trump's response to China blocking rare earth exports, which had disrupted supply chains for cars, aerospace, and defense industries. Reuters reports: Read more here. President Trump had targeted Vietnam with some of the highest tariffs of any country on his April "Liberation Day." That's at least partly because he and top advisers have made Vietnam an example of a country that is allegedly "ripping off" the US. Vietnam has become the US's 10th-largest trade partner, according to US Census data. And it is the seventh-largest source of imports, sending goods worth over $130 billion. It contains factories for some of the biggest US-based apparel makers, including Nike (NKE) and Lululemon (LULU). Vietnam became a destination for companies looking to diversify manufacturing as US-China tensions escalated over the past decade. Vietnam's trade surplus with the US ballooned to over $123 billion last year. This year's US trade deficit with Vietnam stood over $50 billion through just April as companies raced to move more operations out of China. President Trump followed up his previous announcement of a trade deal with Vietnam with some additional details on social media. "It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, the Highly Respected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam," Trump posted on Truth Social. Trump wrote that the two sides agreed to a 20% tariff rate on all goods sent from Vietnam to the US and a 40% tariff rate on transshipment — essentially, when goods from China or other countries are routed through Vietnam. Tariffs on goods from the country were previously set to return to 46% on July 9. Vietnam also lowered tariffs on US goods to zero, Trump said, and is lowering trade barriers. The president suggested US automakers could introduce more SUVs to the Southeast Asian country. "In return, Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade," Trump wrote. "In other words, they will 'OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,' meaning that, we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff." The US and Vietnam are said to be very close to a establishing a trade framework that will see goods given a scaled range of tariffs depending on the percentage of foreign content, according to people familiar with the talks. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tariffs have hit electric vehicle maker, Rivian (RIVN) who reported a sharp fall in second-quarter deliveries on Wednesday as demand for its EVs took a hit from competition and tariff-driven economic uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. President Trump said his administration will begin sending letters to trading partners on Friday laying out what tariff rates they will face on imports to the US. Countries will have to start paying the duties from Aug. 1, Trump told reporters on Thursday. The move marks a shift from earlier US optimism that talks would deliver scores of deals with its more than 170 trading partners, under pressure to beat a July 9 tariff deadline. The "take it or leave it" letters go out with just days to go to that deadline for resumption of sweeping tariffs laid out in April by Trump. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US trade deal with Vietnam should be seen as a early sign to Asian countries that higher tariffs are not going anywhere. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Vietnam negotiators said on Thursday that they are still working with the US to finalize the details of the trade deal, which was announced by President Trump on Wednesday. No further details have been provided to businesses and investors beyond the tariff rates disclosed so far. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Treasury Secretary Bessent has been making the rounds today, talking about the Trump tax bill and tariffs as next week's July 9 deadline looms. Per Reuters, Bessent said around 100 countries are likely to see a "reciprocal" tariff of 10%: Bessent also said Trump would ultimately decide whether to extend that July 9 deadline for countries negotiating "in good faith." Bloomberg News reports Read more here. German car exports to the US fell in April and May as import tariffs imposed by the Trump administration hit German automakers' sales, according to data from the VDA industry association. Reuters reports: Read more here. Luxury watch specialist, Watches of Switzerland warned on Thursday that its profit margin could fall this year as the luxury watch sector adjusts to higher US tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. The South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday that it still remains unclear if trade talks between Seoul and Washington can result in a deal before next week's deadline to avert sweeping tariffs from President Donald Trump. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. President Trump has his eye on any loopholes that China may use to swerve tariffs. Trump's two-tired trade deal with Vietnam takes aim at practices China has used to avoid US tariffs, such as the widespread shifting of production to Southeast Asian factories and the illegal "origin washing" of exports through their ports. Beijing has responded and said it was 'conducting an assessment' of the US-Vietnam trade deal, adding: 'We firmly oppose any party striking a deal at the expense of China's interests.' 'If such a situation arises, China will take resolute countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,' the ministry added. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and India are on the verge of sealing the deal when it comes to reducing tariffs. But there appears to be one sticking point ahead of President Trump's July 9 deadline and it centers around dairy and agriculture. Here's an explainer on why farm goods may hold up a trade deal between the two nations. Reuters reports: Read more here. China is growing more worried as President Trump strikes deals with other countries. On Thursday Beijing hit out at the US-Vietnam trade deal, amid concerns that the US is using "Liberation Day" tariff negotiations with countries to curb China's export machine. The deal with Vietnam, which was announced by the US President on Wednesday, lowers tariffs on Hanoi's exports from 46% to 20%, but it retains a 409% levy on t"trans-shipping" of goods, which China believes is aimed at its re-exports to the US. .The FT reports: Read more here. Indonesia plans to sign a $34 billion deal with US businesses next week to increase purchases and help secure a trade agreement before the July 9 deadline, its top economic minister said Thursday. Reuters reports: Read more here. The trade truce between the US and China may be holding for now, but China is becoming wary that it may thaw. Beijing's concerns stem from what may be happening elsewhere and the US's efforts to forge deals that could isolate Chinese firms from global supply chains. The US has removed export restrictions on chip design software and ethene shipments. China has responded by making concessions over its rare earth export controls. But despite this, China is still on edge. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trade negotiations between the US and India have been moving forward. But unresolved issues over US dairy and agriculture have caused some disagreements between the two sides, according to sources familiar with the talks. Reuters reports: Read more here. The US has removed export restrictions on chip design software and ethane shipments to China, easing trade tensions between the two countries. China recently made concessions over its rare earth export controls. Software companies Synopsys (SNPS), Cadence (CDNS), and Siemens (SIEGY) said they will now restore access for their Chinese customers. These firms develop important electronic design automation tools used in chipmaking. The US also lifted licensing rules for ethane producers. Earlier restrictions were part of Trump's response to China blocking rare earth exports, which had disrupted supply chains for cars, aerospace, and defense industries. Reuters reports: Read more here. President Trump had targeted Vietnam with some of the highest tariffs of any country on his April "Liberation Day." That's at least partly because he and top advisers have made Vietnam an example of a country that is allegedly "ripping off" the US. Vietnam has become the US's 10th-largest trade partner, according to US Census data. And it is the seventh-largest source of imports, sending goods worth over $130 billion. It contains factories for some of the biggest US-based apparel makers, including Nike (NKE) and Lululemon (LULU). Vietnam became a destination for companies looking to diversify manufacturing as US-China tensions escalated over the past decade. Vietnam's trade surplus with the US ballooned to over $123 billion last year. This year's US trade deficit with Vietnam stood over $50 billion through just April as companies raced to move more operations out of China. President Trump followed up his previous announcement of a trade deal with Vietnam with some additional details on social media. "It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, the Highly Respected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam," Trump posted on Truth Social. Trump wrote that the two sides agreed to a 20% tariff rate on all goods sent from Vietnam to the US and a 40% tariff rate on transshipment — essentially, when goods from China or other countries are routed through Vietnam. Tariffs on goods from the country were previously set to return to 46% on July 9. Vietnam also lowered tariffs on US goods to zero, Trump said, and is lowering trade barriers. The president suggested US automakers could introduce more SUVs to the Southeast Asian country. "In return, Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade," Trump wrote. "In other words, they will 'OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,' meaning that, we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff." The US and Vietnam are said to be very close to a establishing a trade framework that will see goods given a scaled range of tariffs depending on the percentage of foreign content, according to people familiar with the talks. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tariffs have hit electric vehicle maker, Rivian (RIVN) who reported a sharp fall in second-quarter deliveries on Wednesday as demand for its EVs took a hit from competition and tariff-driven economic uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Report shows Trump milks presidency for badly needed bailout
Jen Psaki shares details of a New York Times report that shows Donald Trump's precarious financial situation before his second term, and how he's leveraging the presidency now to supply his business with badly needed income.
