Kristi Noem visits El Salvador prison holding US deportees

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem toured a high-security El Salvador prison on Wednesday, where Venezuelans, accused by the Trump administration of gang ties, have been held since their removal from the US.

She inspected crowded cell blocks, the armory, and isolation units in a facility notorious for harsh conditions. The facility has eight sprawling pavilions and can hold up to 40,000 inmates. Each cell can fit 65 to 70 prisoners.

The Trump administration is defending its decision to deport the men, while human rights activists criticise the move.