Marcos Jesus Basulto Salinas

Marcos Jesus Basulto Salinas entered the US in 2022. He is now confirmed to be in CECOT

Coming to the US

Marcos Jesus Basulto Salinas left Venezuela in 2016 due to the economic crisis which led to a lack of food and medicine. He had worked ad a graduate in administration and interned at the company, MISTRAl before fleeing to Colombia for six months.   Marcos then fled to Ecuador where he lived for five years with his mother who had breast cancer and needed access to medicine. He met his wife in Ecuador and they had a son who is now three years old.  Marcos worked as a bricklayer and then selling clothing. When his mother’s cancer returned in 2022, she underwent surgery. Due to the high cost, Marcos decided to go to the US to earn more money and gelp his mother financially. Leaving his family behind, he traveled through the Darien jungle to Mexico City.

Once in Mexico City, Marcos was kidnapped for five days and had to pay a ransom of $3,000. When he was released, he turned himself into authorities and spent three days in a detention center. He contacted his mother and informed her that he was being treated well with food, clothing, and sufficient assistance.  Through a humanitarian organization, he received a plane ticket to Orlando, FL whete he has been living since 2022.

Marcos initially worked washing cars. He worked for a pizzeria for about a year, and then at a bakery for about 8 months.  He applied for TPS, which was approved and granted him a work permit.  He also applied for asylum and had a hearing scheduled for 2027.  He appeared at each hearing that was scheduled, and had a device which allowed him to take a photo to send to immigration every Tuesday

Detention and Expulsion

On March 12, 2025 Marcos was working at the bakery when ICE agents arrived, called him by name, handcuffed him and took him away.  When Marco’s wife had not heard from him for several days, she contacted his landlord who confirmed Marcos had been detained.  Checking the system, Marcos’ wife found he had been transferred from Miami to the East Hidalgo Detention Center in Texas.  Later his name dropped from the registry and no further information could be obtained.  On Tuesday, March 17, his name appeared on the list of those sent to CECOT.

Source:https://rfkhumanrights.org/our-impact/justice/international-justice/rfk-human-rights-el-salvador-delegation-to-investigate-trumps-unlawful-deportations/#marcos