Columbus, GA – Advocacy groups filed an amended habeas corpus petition today demanding the release of Edicson David Quintero Chacón, a Venezuelan national unlawfully transferred by U.S. authorities to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a prison condemned for systemic human rights abuses.
Quintero, 28, is among more than 200 individuals the U.S. government has paid to detain incommunicado at CECOT since mid-March. Despite a pending federal lawsuit challenging his indefinite detention, immigration officials deported him to El Salvador, where he faces potential lifelong imprisonment.
Background: From ICE Detention to CECOT
A carpenter, fisherman, and father of two, Quintero voluntarily surrendered to U.S. border officials in 2024. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him during a routine sweep while his deportation case was under review. After eight months at Georgia’s Stewart Detention Center, Quintero filed a habeas petition in February 2025, arguing his detention was unlawful since deportations to Venezuela were impossible.
Instead of responding, the U.S. government transferred him to CECOT—a facility Human Rights Watch (HRW) likens to Guantánamo for its documented torture, isolation, and denial of due process.
“Worse Than Our Worst Fears”
“My family can’t sleep or eat knowing Edicson is there,” said a relative. “He’s a kind, hardworking man. CECOT is beyond anything we imagined.”
Juanita Goebertus, HRW’s Americas Director, stated in a sworn affidavit that CECOT subjects detainees to “torture, abuse, incommunicado detention, and denial of medical care.”
Legal Condemnation
Rebecca Cassler of the American Immigration Council noted, “The U.S. is exploiting CECOT to impose life sentences on migrants—something it can’t legally do here.”
Stephanie Alvarez-Jones of the National Immigration Project called Quintero’s detention “baseless and unconscionable,” while CCR attorney CJ Sandley accused the Trump administration of replicating Guantánamo’s “torture playbook” through CECOT transfers.
Due Process Violations
Quintero received no opportunity to challenge his transfer. Legal experts argue the U.S. government’s actions violate domestic and international law, reflecting what advocates call a “barbaric” immigration strategy.
The petition demands immediate intervention to secure Quintero’s release.
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