It looked like a scene from a very different period of history: US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, standing in front of a prison pen filled with gaunt, shirtless men, their heads shaved, staring silently at the cameras. 

The footage is from El Salvador, where the US government had whisked away over 200 Venezuelan migrants to be held in the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). 

It’s just one of the surreal propaganda posts the Trump administration has released, bragging about imprisoning men they deemed murderous gang-affiliated terrorists.  

But looking at these images, one woman saw not a terrorist, but her husband. 

In his investigation into these deportations, Mother Jones reporter Noah Lanard found that ordinary men, with no gang affiliations, had been targeted because they had tattoos.

Today, Noah Lanard on the people America is disappearing and what the spectacle of deportations says about Trump’s immigration agenda.

 

If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.

 

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Guest:Mother Jones reporter, Noah Lanard

Background Reading: What the Hundreds of Venezuelans Trump Sent to El Salvador Are Up Against

Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

It looked like a scene from a very different period of history: US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, standing in front of a prison pen filled with gaunt, shirtless men, their heads shaved, staring silently at the cameras.&nbsp;
The footage is from El Salvador, where the US government had whisked away over 200 Venezuelan migrants to be held in the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s just one of the surreal propaganda posts the Trump administration has released, bragging about imprisoning men they deemed murderous gang-affiliated terrorists.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But looking at these images, one woman saw not a terrorist, but her husband.&nbsp;
In his investigation into these deportations, Mother Jones reporter Noah Lanard found that ordinary men, with no gang affiliations, had been targeted because they had tattoos.
Today, Noah Lanard on the people America is disappearing and what the spectacle of deportations says about Trump&rsquo;s immigration agenda.
&nbsp;
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at <a href="http://7ampodcast.com.au/support">7ampodcast.com.au/support</a>.
&nbsp;
Socials: Stay in touch with us on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/7ampodcast">Instagram</a>
Guest: Mother Jones reporter, Noah Lanard
Background Reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/venezuela-trump-deportation-el-salvador-prison-human-rights-cecot-due-process/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/venezuela-trump-deportation-el-salvador-prison-human-rights-cecot-due-process/">What the Hundreds of Venezuelans Trump Sent to El Salvador Are Up Against</a>
Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

An independent daily news show. We feature the country’s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

An independent daily news show. We feature the country&rsquo;s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

A daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper.

A daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Hear from the country’s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

How Trump's mass deportations targeted men with tattoos

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/744028b7-c652-4024-a3f8-b2b500559c10/transcript

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