Category World News

A Venezuelan man who was deported from the United States has lodged a grievance with the president’s administration, alleging that he was wrongly sent to a Salvadoran prison where he suffered beatings and other forms of abuse.

One of the more than 250 Venezuelan men who was detained in the Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT), a maximum-security prison in El Salvador known for human rights violations, submitted the complaint on Thursday, marking the first of its kind.

Neiyerver Adrian Leon Rengel, 27, has made the first step in bringing a lawsuit against the Trump administration by filing a complaint against the DHS.

He and his Democracy Defenders Fund attorneys are suing for alleged abuse in amounts of $1.3 million.

Rengel claims that the Trump administration made up his falsehood and quickly deported him in order to evade detention.

Rengel endured physical, verbal, and psychological abuse in El Salvador for more than four months, according to the complaint. This is not his country of origin and a place with which he has no ties.

The Republican leader invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify the swift expulsion of alleged gang members while President Trump campaigned for a second term on the promise that he would implement a policy of mass deportation.

However, that statute was only used three times in US history, and only in times of war.

Trump allegedly violated the rights of immigrants by using the law to advance his domestic agenda while breaking the terms of his constitutional authority. Trump, however, argued that the law was required to stop what he termed an “invasion” of criminals from entering the country.

In connection with that deportation sweep under the Alien Enemies Act, Rengel was detained on March 13.

Immigration agents allegedly seized him in Irving, Texas, in the parking lot next to his apartment and allegedly lied about his tattoos to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Rengel was attempting to obtain legal status. He had already made an appointment with the US-Mexico border in June 2023 after making one through the CBP One app, which was then the country’s official portal for asylum applications and other immigration processing.

He was scheduled for a 2028 appointment with an immigration judge.

However, his life was changed when he was detained and taken to an immigration detention facility, according to his complaint. He claimed that there, DHS agents falsely predicted his return to Venezuela.

Instead, he was taken to El Salvador on a deportation flight.

The 250+ Venezuelan men were escorted by cameras into cells where their heads were shaved, handcuffed, and their heads bowed. Up to 40 000 people are expected to use the facility.

According to reports, the Trump administration reportedly gave El Salvador nearly $6 million to house the deported men.

Rengel claims that once inside the CECOT prison, he was repeatedly beaten, sometimes with bare fists, and that at least one time he was moved to a location without cameras.

Rengel participated in a prisoner exchange earlier this month that saw the release of all the deported Venezuelan men from CECOT and their home countries in exchange for the release of 10 American prisoners held in Venezuela.

Rengel’s attorneys claim that his mother is “terrified” of the possibility of his mother moving back to the US.

His complaint was filed in accordance with the Federal Tort Claims Act, which outlines the legal process for federal government lawsuits. Before filing a lawsuit, the government has until the government has six months to respond to the allegations.

The Trump administration has already made a statement outlining its opposition to Rengel’s assertions. It refuted its claim that Rengel was a gang member.

The Department of Homeland Security informed The Associated Press that “President Trump and]DHS Secretary]Kristi Noem will not allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate in our country and put Americans at risk.”

“We hear far too much about the false sob stories of gang members and criminals, and not enough about the victims of gang members.”

Numerous legal challenges have been raised by the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to speed deportations.

In March, US District Court Judge James Boasberg had given the order to return the deportation flights to the US, and he has since indicated that the Trump administration may be in contempt of court for doing so.

Boasberg ruled in addition that US courts must hear from Venezuelan deported men who have been deported.

Tokyo pledges to invest in the United States and President Trump signs a significant trade agreement with Japan.

The United States was persuaded to participate in a raid on the Iranian nuclear site at Fordow, and Israel’s leadership saw the 12-day conflict with Iran as a success. Numerous Iranian military leaders were killed, Iran’s defensive military capabilities were harmed, and the United States was persuaded to engage in a reconnaissance exercise.

Israeli leaders quickly claimed victory, but they also made it clear that they were prepared to attack again if necessary, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that he had “no intention of easing off the gas pedal.”

According to analysts, Israel is already looking for the next opportunity to end the Islamic Republic of Iran.

However, in order to do so, the US might not be willing to grant it, so it would need to get its “permission.”

More than 1, 000 Iranians and 29 Israelis were killed in the mid-June due to a surprise Israeli attack that led to the war.

Israel justified the conflict by claiming that it was acting “self-defence” and preemptively to end Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran has long claimed is for civilian purposes.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian doubted the duration of the current ceasefire when he spoke to Al Jazeera earlier this week.

Our armed forces are prepared to strike Israel’s interior once more, he said, and we are fully prepared for any new Israeli military action.

Cause of war

Israel repeatedly claimed that it was attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities, but it primarily killed senior government and military figures, a clear sign that it was trying to stifle and possibly overthrow the regime.

Netanyahu is looking for an opportunity to resume that mission, according to Trita Parsi, an Iranian expert and co-founder and executive vice president of the left-wing US think tank Quincy Institute.

Israel wants to attack again because they want to ensure that Iran will become the next Syria or Lebanon, which Israel can attack at any time with impunity, he told Al Jazeera.

After European nations resume imposing crippling sanctions on Iran, Israel might have a second chance to use as a pretext for a war.

Earlier in July, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly arranged for a call with German, French, and British counterparts to say that if no new nuclear deal was reached before the end of August, sanctions would be reimposed.

Iran and a number of Western nations had reached a nuclear deal in 2015, lifting the sanctions.

Two years into President Donald Trump’s first term, the US reneged on the agreement and reinstated sanctions as part of a campaign under the most pressure. Parsi warned that the agreement’s European parties may now do the same, leading to Iran’s withdrawal from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

He told Al Jazeera, “That would give [Israel] a political window to]attack once more.”

Israel would need to gather or present credible intelligence that suggests Iran is rebuilding or repairing its nuclear program, according to Meir Javedanfar, a lecturer on Iran at Israel’s Reichman University.

In light of the US’ concern over Israeli attacks on Syria, he warned that “to launch such an attack, Israel would need the consent of the United States and its President Trump.”

Israeli operations

Israeli airstrikes against Iran may not be imminent, but a report in The New York Times on Wednesday suggests that it is conducting covert operations to prevent sudden fires and explosions all over the nation.

According to the paper, three well-informed officials and a European diplomat attributed alleged sabotage to acts of sabotage carried out by Israel at apartment complexes, oil refineries, close to an airport, and in a shoe factory to three informed officials.

According to Negar Mortazavi, an expert on Iran with the Center for International Policy (CIP), a think tank based in Washington, DC, “I think Benjamin Netanyahu has found a formula where it can attack Iran with impunity despite Donald Trump’s opposition.”

Israel’s extensive infiltration of Iranian security and infrastructure, which became clear during the initial stages of the June conflict, led to any ongoing covert operations. Those targeted included what was allegedly teams of local intelligence operatives and drones launched against Iranian targets from Iranian territory.

Analyst and expert on Iran Ori Goldberg claimed that there was no proof to support the conclusion of Israel’s connection to Iran.

He claimed from Tel Aviv that Israel has built a robust security system in Iran, and that it occasionally needs to flex its muscles. Sometimes this is more tactical than strategic, as is the case. You only have a limited amount of time to use infrastructure or people in other countries, so if that means starting a fire or igniting an explosion, it’s a way to keep them alive and let Iran know they’re there.

Probability of a new war

Few could have predicted the complete lack of restraint with which Netanyahu, a figure previously seen as having a bias against conflict, has continued to attack regional players like Yemen and Iran as well as neighboring Syria and Lebanon in addition to his brutal assault on Gaza.

However, how well-liked will a renewed attack on Israel’s historical bogeyman, Iran, be in the face of growing internal animosity over its occupation of Gaza remain to be seen.

Trump is concerned, and “Israel will want to stay on the right side of whatever line he’s drawn] on his actions,” according to Goldberg. Iran is, however, Israel’s common ground. Gaza may cause debate, but never Iran. Netanyahu will want to use force against Iran to unite the people in his path if he perceives himself as being in danger.

According to analysts, Iran won’t be caught flat-footed again.

Iran is anticipating continued aggression from Israel, Mortazavi claimed to tell Al Jazeera, despite its persistent steadfast hope of a diplomatic solution to its nuclear programme.

As tensions grow between the administration and the independent overseer of the country’s monetary policy, Donald Trump visited the Federal Reserve’s headquarters in Washington to tour the site of a $ 2.5 billion renovation of two historic buildings. The White House has criticized this move as overly expensive and ostentatious.

Less than a week before the central bank’s 19 policymakers meet for a two-day rate-setting meeting, where they are expected to leave the US central bank’s benchmark interest rate range of 4.25 to 4.50 percent, will the rare presidential visit to the Fed occur.

Trump has repeatedly urged the Fed to lower rates by 3%, and he has frequently posed the possibility of firing Jerome Powell, despite the president’s claim that he has no intention to do so.

Trump referred to the Fed chief as a “numbskull” on Tuesday.

As the two officials toured the unfinished project on Thursday, Trump publicly criticised Powell for the cost of a significant building renovation.

Trump and Powell both silently shook their heads as Trump claimed the project cost $3.1 billion, which is significantly higher than the Fed’s $2.5 billion figure.

“This came from us,” you ask? Prior to realizing that Trump was including the Martin Building’s renovation, which was finished five years ago, Powell said.

Do you anticipate any additional overruns of money? Trump posed a question.

Don’t expect them, Powell remarked.

Trump threatened to fire someone who worked as a real estate developer because of cost overruns. If Powell were to lower interest rates, the president made a joke about it.

As Powell watched with his face expressionless as he said, “I’d love him to lower interest rates”, Trump said, “I’d love him to do that.”

In order to prepare for the session, Powell typically spends the Thursday afternoon before a rate-setting meeting making back-to-back calls with Fed bank presidents.

Trump elevated him to the top of the Fed in 2018, and then reappointed him as president by appointing Joe Biden four years later. Powell last spoke with Trump in March, when the Republican president called him in to demand that he lower rates.

Trump is attempting to discredit a campaign promise by refusing to release documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Epstein died in 2019.

Trump has recently intensified his pressure on Powell, accusing the Fed of running the renovation and putting forth unfavorable decisions and potential fraud.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for an in-depth review of the Fed’s non-monetary policy operations, citing operating losses at the central bank as a cause for concern about the renovation’s spending, and White House budget director Russell Vought has estimated the cost overrun at “$700m and counting.”

These losses are caused by the Fed’s policy rate management, which includes paying banks to park their cash at the central bank. The Fed reported a total net loss of $114.64 billion in 2023 and $77.56 billion in 2024, a turnaround from years of record profits to the Treasury at low interest rates and inflation.

The spotlight has undergone renovations.

The project, which is the first complete renovation of Washington’s two buildings since they were constructed nearly a century ago, encountered unexpected challenges, including toxic materials abatement and higher-than-estimated materials and labor costs, according to the Fed in letters to Vought and lawmakers and with supporting documents posted on its website.

Fed staff escorted a small group of reporters around the construction sites prior to Trump’s visit. They spoke over the sounds of drills, banging, and saws as they whizzed around cement mixers and construction equipment. In addition to tariffs and escalating labor and material costs, according to Fed staff, security features, such as blast-resistant windows, are major cost-cutters.

The move-in is scheduled for March 2028, and the renovation project started in mid-2020. According to the pool report, a visit to the roof of the Eccles Building revealed an impressive view of the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, which was brought to light by White House critics who were concerned about the renovations’ ostentatiousness.

The cost of rooftop seating, according to staff, had been reduced because it appeared to be an amenity and one of only two changes from the original plan. The other was a couple of anticipated fountains were canceled.

The Republican who visited Powell on Wednesday and sent him a letter asking questions about the cost and other details of the renovation as well as Powell’s own statements about it is a part of the visit as well.

Trump’s visit had a modest response in the market. After data revealed new jobless claims dropped in the most recent week, higher yields were added to benchmark 10-year Treasury bonds, indicating a stable labor market that lacked the support of a Fed rate increase. Wall Street’s stock was sparse, in fact.

Trump’s criticism of Powell and his feigning dismissal have previously upended financial markets and threatened a fundamental principle: that central banks are independent and free from political meddling.

His visit contrasts with a small number of other Fed-related visits that have been documented. In 1937, the newly constructed headquarters, one of the two Fed buildings currently being renovated, was dedicated by then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 2006, former US President George W. Bush visited the Fed to swear in as its chief financial officer.

Is it important to have central bank independence?

Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican member of the Senate Banking Committee, said, “I think it’s important that he send a signal that he really isn’t happy with how things are going at the Fed.” She claimed Trump made a “good decision” during the visit.

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, stated on Thursday that Powell’s independence as Fed chief is “critical for the markets.” He added that Powell’s appointment was “critical for the markets.” I believe he did a good job of that.

According to Rounds, “I think the more information the president can get from this, the better off we are in terms of resolving any issues that are still unresolved,” adding that Powell had stated “that they have had a significant amount of money, just in terms of foundation work and so forth, that was not anticipated to begin with.”

Former Fed chiefs Janet Yellen and Bernanke wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times this week, warning that the public’s belief that the US central bank is politically independent and willing to make tough decisions is “an important national asset.” It is difficult to acquire and difficult to lose.

Economic experts are in agreement with each other.

The credibility of central banks around the world has been instrumental in lowering inflation expectations and lowering inflation across many nations in the world, according to International Monetary Fund spokesman Julie Kozack on Thursday. “As we’ve seen through the disinflation process that has been taking place over the last few years, we’ve seen that.

“Understanding independence must coexist with clear accountability to the public, of course.