Judge Blocks Deportation of MS-13 Leader Amid Clash Between Law and Diplomacy

A federal judge has stopped the Trump administration’s push to deport top MS-13 leader Vladimir Arevalo-Chavez, underscoring a sharp legal conflict over whether foreign policy can override national security prosecutions.

Arevalo-Chavez, a senior member of the gang’s “Ranfla Nacional,” was facing terrorism and racketeering charges until federal prosecutors attempted to dismiss the case, citing vague “geopolitical concerns.” His attorneys argue the move is a tactic to keep him from testifying about a 2019 gang pact with El Salvador’s government.

The judge’s ruling keeps Arevalo-Chavez in U.S. custody and sends a strong message: justice must not be subordinated to backroom diplomacy.