US politics live: US deports hundreds of alleged gang members

The US has flown more than 250 accused migrant gang members out of the country to be sent to one of the world’s most notorious mega-prisons.

Welcome to our live coverage of US politics.

The US has flown over 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to be imprisoned in El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele said Sunday, after US counterpart Donald Trump invoked wartime legislation to expel the migrants.

The deportations took place despite a US federal judge granting a temporary suspension of the expulsions order, apparently as planes were already headed to El Salvador.

It comes as the Trump administration is considering issuing sweeping travel restrictions for the citizens of dozens of countries as part of a new ban, according to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo seen by Reuters.

The memo lists a total of 41 countries divided into three separate groups.

Meanwhile, senators have agreed to move forward with a bill to keep the government funded through to September, greatly reducing the chances of a feared weekend government shutdown.

Mr Trump has also revealed he asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to “spare” the lives of Ukrainian soldiers which Russia is trying to drive out of its Kursk region.

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Originally published as US politics live: US deports hundreds of alleged gang members