Sarah Michelle Gellar on reunion with the one 'Buffy' prop she missed

Sarah Michelle Gellarsays it was an "emotional" moment when directorChloé Zhaopresented her with the missing"Class Protector"award on the final day of shooting"Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale."

The umbrella award had been presented to Buffy Summers (Gellar) in 1999's Season 3 prom episode of the original star-making"Buffy the Vampire" series,which ran from 1997 to 2003. However, the prop memento from classmates commemorating Buffy for protecting the school from evil was lost in time.

"That show ended when I was 24 years old,"Gellar, now 48, tells USA TODAY."It never occurred to me to take props. You're thinking so much about next and all those things. I've always said that's the one prop that I was always sad that I didn't take."

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Oscar-winning director Zhao recreated the treasured award and gave it to Gellar on the last day of shooting the pilot for the "New Sunnydale" revival series.

Zhao toldThe Wrapthat the prom episode is one of her favorite "Buffy" episodes, featuring Jonathan Levinson (Danny Strong) presenting the umbrella award to Buffy with a speech.

"Actually, Sarah told me she didn't keep the umbrella," Zhao said. "So, on the day of the wrap, we made a replica of that and then I memorized the speech."

The Emmy-nominated star of "Euphoria" and "The White Lotus," Sydney Sweeney, has made a name for herself in prestige television, on silver screens in horror flicks or romantic comedies and as a fashion darling on red carpets like the Met Gala.

Scroll through for more photos of her life and career.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends a Refinery29 event on Dec. 6, 2017, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney starred as Emaline on the Netflix series "Everything Sucks!" in 2018.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the premiere of Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" Season 2 at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 19, 2018, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney played Eden in the second season of "The Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 17, 2018, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jonathan Davino, left, and Sydney Sweeney attend an InStyle event on Oct. 23, 2018, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Harry Shum Jr. and Sydney Sweeney walk the red carpet at the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2019.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends The 2020 InStyle And Warner Bros. 77th annual Golden Globe Awards Post-Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney received an Emmy nomination in 2022 for her part in the first season of HBO's "The White Lotus."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends an InStyle event on Nov. 14, 2021, in West Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney was nominated for an Emmy in 2022 for her role as Cassie on the HBO series "Euphoria."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party following the 94th Oscars at the The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California, on March 27, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 2022 Met Gala.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maude Apatow and Sydney Sweeney attend the "Bones and All" red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 2, 2022, in Venice, Italy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends ELLE's 29th annual Women in Hollywood celebration on Oct. 17, 2022, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 2022 LACMA ART+FILM Gala on Nov. 05, 2022, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2022 on Nov. 16, 2022, in London.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 2023 Met Gala.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends a screening of HBO Films' "Reality" at Museum of Modern Art on May 16, 2023, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney and Aja Naomi King attend a Miu Miu event during the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023, in Cannes, France.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends Variety Power of Young Hollywood at NeueHouse on Aug. 10, 2023, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney and her cousin Lucille Hancock attend the Miu Miu fashion show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 3, 2023, in Paris, France.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends Columbia Pictures' "Anyone But You" New York Premiere on Dec. 11, 2023, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Glen Powell, left, and Sydney Sweeney in the 2023 film "Anyone But You."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the screening of "Anyone But You" at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on Dec. 18, 2023, in Sydney, Australia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney greets fans at the screening of "Anyone But You" at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on Dec. 18, 2023, in Sydney, Australia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney attend the World Premiere of Sony Pictures' "Madame Web" on Feb. 12, 2024, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 35th GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 14, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the premiere of Neon's "Immaculate" during Beyond Fest at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on March 15, 2024, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends Met Gala celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the premiere of "Eden" during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2024, in Toronto.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney attend CinemaCon 2025 on April 1, 2025, in Las Vegas.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney underwent a weeklong transformation before debuting her most shocking hairstyle yet. She arrived at the Oct. 25, 2025, "Christy" premiere during the annual AFI Fest sporting an icy blonde bob, her shortest 'do yet.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Sydney was looking for a change and wanted to have a big hair moment for the red carpet to support her new movie," hair colorist Jacob Schwartz told Vogue.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney made headlines after donning a sheer, silver, floor-length Christian Cowandress at Variety's 2025 Power of Women Los Angeles event, where she was an honoree, on Oct. 29, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney walks onstage during pre-race ceremonies prior to the Nascar Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2, 2025, in Avondale, Arizona.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sydney Sweeney attends the 2025 GQ Men of the Year party at Chateau Marmont on Nov. 13, 2025 in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney attend the Los Angeles premiere of "The Housemaid" on Dec. 15, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney attend W Magazine's annual Best Performances Party at Chateau Marmont on Jan. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Sydney Sweeney photos: Look back at the 'Euphoria' star's best looks, career

The Emmy-nominated star of"Euphoria"and"The White Lotus," Sydney Sweeney, has made a name for herself in prestige television, on silver screens in horror flicks or romantic comedies and as a fashion darling on red carpets like theMet Gala.Scroll through for more photos of her life and career.

Gellar said it "took a few seconds" to recognize that Zhao was replicating the "Buffy" prom speech. But then she was touched.

"And it was just incredibly special," Gellar says, adding that she is protecting the keepsake now. "I have it. It's in my office."

Zhao convinced Gellar to return 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'

After Gellar turned down past "Buffy" series, superfan Zhao convinced the actress to return for the revival set 25 years after the original. Both Zhao and Gellar are executive producers.

"I didn't think I'd ever be revisiting that character," says Gellar. "So just being on set was emotional."

Gellar has made it clear "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale" is not a reboot or a sequel, but a continuation of the TV world. Currently it's just the pilot, which was shot in August. The full series has not been officially greenlit by Hulu.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Sarah Michelle Gellar on reunion with treasured 'Buffy' series prop

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February 12, 2026

Sarah Michelle Gellar on reunion with the one 'Buffy' prop she missed

Sarah Michelle Gellarsays it was an "emotional" moment when directorChloé Zhaopresented her with the missing...

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Kylie Kelce Reveals the Nickname She Has Husband Jason Kelce Saved in Her Phone as

Lisa Lake/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Kylie Kelce is revealing her nickname for her husband Jason Kelce

• On the Feb. 12 episode of her Not Gonna Lie podcast, the mom of four revealed what Jason is saved in her phone as

• Kylie and Jason were married in Philadelphia nearly eight years ago

Kylie Kelcehas a sweet nickname for her husbandJason Kelce.While chatting with her college besties on the latestepisodeof herNot Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelcepodcast, the mom of four and wife to former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce revealed the longtime pet name she has for her husband — and where it came from.Sitting down with her friends from college, Amber and Gab, Kylie had her two pals answer questions, including "Did you honestly think Jason was the one when they first started dating?"Amber replied candidly, "Did I think that about him? No, probably not. Not right away," before going on to point out that, during Kylie and Jason's first date, he fell asleep on the table."I think after the bear incident, I was like 'Alright, there's a chance,'" Amber continued.Spurred by Amber's comment, Kylie then shared that her husband was listed in her phone contacts as Grizzly, before turning the phone to face the camera and showing the contact card she had for him.

"Amber and I had a radio show at school that we called him the bear in the woods, which I'm still not sure how we ended up with that," she shared.

Mike Coppola/Getty

"Because he looked like one," Gab chimed in.However, Amber clarified that she had been talking about another moment from early on in Jason and Kylie's relationship — when he sent her a stuffed bear for Valentine's Day."He sent it to your house," Amber recalled."Oh, talk about a full panic. That was fun," Kyle reflected."Because your mom got it and just put [it] in your room," Amber continued. At the time, Kylie and Jason had not yet made their relationship public to many people, including Kylie's mom, Lisa McDevitt. "And didn't say anything.

"And then you texted us and you were like, 'OMG,'" Amber said. "And we were like, 'Yeah, she knows. She definitely saw that and definitely read it.'"Kylie also revealed how her mom had searched Jason's phone number that he had included in a message with the bear.

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"So she was like, 'What are you doing talking to someone in Ohio?'" Kylie remembered.Amber said she felt that that moment was one of the incidents that prompted her to start thinking more seriously of Jason as Kylie's boyfriend.Kylie and Jason, 38, originallymet on Tinderand became Instagram official in 2015.During a September 2023 podcast episode ofNew Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, she talked about first spotting him on the app."His profile at the time was something along the lines of, 'I want to have deep meaningful conversations and talk about getting married and having kids,' " she recalled.

Kylie said that for their first date, she went to meet Jason and his friends at a bar. However, the date didn't last long. "Forty-five minutes later,he fell asleep at the bar, like just, out, like asleep, asleep," she said in the documentary.The two tied the knot at the Logan Hotel in Philadelphia in April 2018, just two months after the Eagles won Super Bowl LII.

The pair now share four daughters: Wyatt, 6; Eliotte, 4; Bennett, 2; and, Finnley, 10 months.

Read the original article onPeople

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Kylie Kelce Reveals the Nickname She Has Husband Jason Kelce Saved in Her Phone as

Lisa Lake/Getty NEED TO KNOW Kylie Kelce is revealing her nickname for her husband Jason Kelce On the Feb. 12...

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Trump administration says it is ending its immigration surge in Minnesota

The Trump administration said Thursday it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Speaking at a news conference in the city, border czar Tom Homan said coordination with local law enforcement and success of immigration enforcement have contributed to the end of Operation Metro Surge.

"I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude," he said.

The announcement comes weeks after federal authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens, sparking outrage around the nation and the world.

Homan said "a significant drawdown" will begin this week and will continue into next week. He said he will remain on the ground "for a little longer" to ensure a successful end to the operation.

On Nov. 29, the Trump administration began surging more than 3,000 immigration agents to Minneapolis, in what officials dubbed Operation Metro Surge. Homan said at a press conference last week that roughly 150 federal immigration agents were present in the city before the operation began. The city of roughly 400,000 people has a police force ofroughly 600 officers.

Homan, who is a former Obama staffer, said he is not removing all federal officers for safety reasons and that immigration enforcement will continue.

"If you're in this country illegally, you're not off the table," he said.

Immigration officers and agents have arrested 4,000 people since the operation began, the Department of Homeland Securitysaid last week. DHS did not provide a breakdown of how many of those had criminal charges. Federal authorities have arrested more than 200 people for impeding the work of law enforcement officers, Homan said Thursday.

Amid the crackdown, immigration authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens — Renee Good, 37, a mother of young children, and Alex Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse at a local Veterans Affairs hospital — in separate confrontations.

"I don't want to see any more bloodshed," Homan said. "I pray every night for the safety or law enforcement personnel and the safety of those in the community, whether you're here legally or illegally I don't want to say anybody harmed."

Authorities had already announced a drawdown of the operation in the days following Pretti's killing. Customs and Border Protection's Greg Bovino was removed from his post as commander at large and returned to his former post in El Centro, California. Homan then arrived to take control of the operation.

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Homan acknowledged those setbacks Thursday.

"As I said in my first press conference a couple weeks ago, President Trump didn't send me here because operation were being run and conducted perfectly," he said. "I came here to identify issues and implement solutions to improve our mission execution."

Homanannounced last weekthat the administration would send 700 agents home. He said the drawdown is partly a result ofcoordination between Minnesota county jails and federal immigration officials,making it easier for immigration authorities to apprehend targets.

Federal authorities alsoarrested and criminally charged several protesters last month for holding a demonstration during achurch service led by a pastor who is allegedly also an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was also arrested for covering the event. Lemon's attorney said his client would plead not guilty to charges against him.

Homan insisted that ICE agents had not gone into churches or schools to make arrests. In the same breath, he emphasized that "those locations are not off the table."

He also said there would be "zero tolerance" for residents interfering with the work of immigration authorities.

"While the Trump administration supports everyone's first amendment right to freedom of speech and assembly and to petition, it has to be done lawfully and peacefully, because we will not tolerate unlawful actions committed by agitators, who are just causing havoc," he said. "This is not the way to express your disagreement or try to reform federal laws."

Instead, he said, those objecting to the administration's policies should write to their lawmakers.

Minneapolis Mayor Jaocb Frey, a Democrat,said in a series of posts on Xthat the operation "has been catastrophic for our neighbors and businesses."

"They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation,"he said. "These patriots of Minneapolis are showing that it's not just about resistance — standing with our neighbors is deeply American."

New polling from the NBC News Decision Desk showsthat support for the the Trump administration's immigration policies has taken a significant hit since the killings occurred last month.

Forty-nine percent of adults strongly disapprove of how Trump has handled border security and immigration, up from 38% strong disapprovallast summerand 34%in April,according to the new poll.

Trump's overall approval rating has also declined slightly to 39% in the aftermath of the crackdown.

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Trump administration says it is ending its immigration surge in Minnesota

The Trump administration said Thursday it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Speaking at a new...

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Judge blocks Trump administration from moving former death row inmates to 'Supermax' prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge hastemporarily blockedthe Trump administration from transferring 20 inmates with commuted death sentences to the nation's highest security federal prison, warning that officials cannot employ a "sham" process for deciding where to incarcerate the prisoners for the rest of their lives.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled late Wednesday that the government cannot send the former death row inmates to the "Supermax" federal prison in Florence, Colorado, because it likely would violate their Fifth Amendment rights to due process.

Kelly cited evidence that officials from the Republican administration "made it clear" to the federal Bureau of Prisons that the inmates had to be sent to ADX Florence — "administrative maximum" — to punish them because Democratic President Joe Biden had commuted their death sentences.

"At least for now, they will remain serving life sentences for their heinous crimes where they are currently imprisoned," wrote Kelly, who was nominated to the bench by President Donald Trump.

In December 2024, less than a month before Trump returned to the White House, Bidencommuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 peopleon federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment.

On his first day back in office, Trump issued an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to house the 37 inmates "in conditions consistent with the monstrosity of their crimes and the threats they pose."

Twenty of the 37 inmates are plaintiffs in the lawsuit before Kelly, who issued a preliminary injunction blocking their transfers to Florence while the lawsuit proceeds. All were incarcerated in Terre Haute, Indiana, when Biden commuted their death sentences.

Government lawyers argued that the bureau has broad authority to decide what facilities the inmates should be redesignated for after their commutations.

"BOP's designation decisions are within its exclusive purview and are intended to preserve the safety of inmates, employees, and surrounding communities,"they wrote.

The judge concluded that the inmates have not had a meaningful opportunity to challenge their redesignations because it appears the outcome of the review process was predetermined.

"But the Constitution requires that whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of a liberty or property interest that the Due Process Clause protects — whether that person is a notorious prisoner or a law-abiding citizen — the process it provides cannot be a sham," Kelly wrote.

The Florence prison has housed some of the most notorious criminals in federal custody, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The prison is "unmatched in its draconian conditions," the inmates' attorneys argued.

"The categorical redesignations challenged here deprived Plaintiffs of an opportunity to show why they should not be condemned to a life bereft of human contact, in a cell the size of a parking spot, where they will see nothing out the window but a strip of sky,"they wrote.

Government attorneys said other courts have held that the conditions are not objectively cruel and unusual.

"Plaintiffs fail to show that conditions at ADX are atypical for them," they wrote.

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February 12, 2026

Judge blocks Trump administration from moving former death row inmates to 'Supermax' prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge hastemporarily blockedthe Trump administration from transferring 20 inmates with commut...

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Judge orders return of Venezuelans formerly detained in El Salvador if they choose to come back

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to start allowing Venezuelans sent to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador toreturn to the United States for their immigration proceedingsif they choose to.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote in an order that it was requiring the administration to allow entry to any of the more than 130 Venezuelan men who were held for four months in the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT.

"It is worth emphasizing that this situation would never have arisen had the Government simply afforded Plaintiffs their constitutional rights before initially deporting them," he wrote.

The men were sent back from El Salvador to Venezuela in July, as part of a prisoner swap between the two nations. Manyhave said they suffered physical and psychological abuse while imprisoned in CECOT.

Boasberg said the number of men who might seek to return to the U.S. "would likely be very small." Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union who is representing the plaintiffs in the case, said previously in court that there would be only a "handful" of his clients who may take them up on this offer.

The judge also ordered the government to offer a boarding letter to any plaintiff in the case who is in a third country and requests commercial air travel to the U.S. at the government's expense.

"It is unclear why Plaintiffs should bear the financial cost of their return in such an instance," he wrote.

The parties in the case agreed that anyone who wants to come back to the U.S. would immediately be detained as their immigration cases proceed.

The government is required to file a status report by March 13, inform the court as to the feasibility of returning plaintiffs still in Venezuela who wish to return for their proceedings, and describe the steps taken to obtain any passports or identification documents of the individuals.

Earlier this week,Gelernt argued in courtthat due process for the Venezuelan men would mean giving them the immediate right to return to the U.S. for a court hearing, or have remote hearings about their cases.

In December, Boasberg ruled the Trump administration should not have sent the 137 Venezuelan men to CECOT after invoking the Alien Enemies Act, finding that the men were denied due process.

He ordered the federal government to either facilitate the return of the men to the United States or otherwise follow due process and provide them with hearings. The men are now living in Venezuela or in nearby countries.

The men were sent to CECOT in March after Trumpinvoked the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law,declaring the Venezuelan gangTren de Aragua an invading force.Their removal to El Salvador cameeven as Boasberg, in a ruling at the time,blocked the deportations and ordered any flights carrying migrants subject to the presidential invocation to return to the United States.

Trump said heinvoked the AEAto target members of the gang, which the administration deems a foreign terrorist organization and accuses of engaging in "mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens."

By invoking the law, Trump was able to swiftly detain and remove immigrants he claimed were members of the gang at the time.

The men who spoke to NBC News,as well as the families of former detainees and their attorneys,strongly denied any ties to gangs and said they were unfairly targeted because oftattoos that may be popular in Venezuela and are unrelated to Tren de Aragua.

A New York Times investigation, which relied on interviews with prosecutors and law enforcement officials as well as court documents and media reports in multiple countries, found that most of the men sent to CECOT did not have criminal records in the United States or in the region. It found at least 32 of the more than 200 men sent to CECOT, including the 137 under the Alien Enemies Act, faced serious criminal accusations or convictions in the United States or abroad. Very few of them appeared to have any documented evidence connecting them to Tren de Aragua.

Three of the Venezuelan men told NBC Newsafter their release from CECOT and return to Venezuela that they experienced physical and psychological torture, including one man's allegation that he was sexually assaulted at the prison.

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February 12, 2026

Judge orders return of Venezuelans formerly detained in El Salvador if they choose to come back

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to start allowing Venezuelans sent to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador toreturn to th...

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Manchester United co-owner says UK has been 'colonized by immigrants'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said on Thursday he was sorry he had offended some people by saying the country had been "colonized by immigrants", after Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined a chorus of criticism over the remarks.

Ratcliffe, one of Britain's most successful businessmen, responded to the outcry with a statement saying it was important to raise the issue of immigration, but that he regretted his "choice of language" had caused concern.

The founder of chemicals giant INEOS, and owner of nearly a third of Manchester United, had told Sky News that high migration and people living on benefits were damaging the economy.

"You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonized - it's costing too much money," Ratcliffe said in the interview aired on Wednesday.

"The UK has been colonized by immigrants, really, hasn't it?" he added.

Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch celebrates scoring his team's second goal in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield on Nov. 1. The victory ended a four-game losing streak in Premier League games for the defending champions.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri (right) and Burnley's Florentino Luis battle for possession of the ball at Turf Moor. Arsenal won the Nov. 1 match, 2-0, to stay six points above Manchester City atop the Premier League table.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Erling Haaland of Manchester City competes for a header whilst under pressure from Sepp van den Berg and Kristoffer Ajer of Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025. Man City won the match, 1-0.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best Premier League action, scenes and drama from 2025-26 season

Starmer said the remarks were wrong and would play into the hands of those who wanted to divide the country. Finance minister Rachel Reeves said the comments were "unacceptable" and "disgusting".

On Thursday, INEOS issued a statement from Ratcliffe in response to "reporting of his comments".

"I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth," he said.

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He said he wanted to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs to ensure long-term prosperity is shared by everyone, and that it was "critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK".

Starmer's spokesperson said it was right for him to apologize. Asked if an apology about offence caused rather than the comments themselves were enough, the spokesperson said questions on the detail of the apology were for Ratcliffe.

Manchester United fans furious

His comments were condemned by politicians, campaigners and by fan groups at Manchester United, including its Muslim Supporters Club who said the term "colonized" was frequently used by far-right activists to frame migrants as invaders.

"Public discourse shapes public behaviour," the group said. "When influential figures adopt language that mirrors extremist talking points, it risks legitimizing prejudice and deepening division."

Others noted that the Manchester United first team was largely made up of international players and staff, and questioned whether Ratcliffe should be commenting on British politics when he had moved to the tax haven Monaco.

Manchester United said it prided itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club.

"Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home," the club said in a statement.

Before Ratcliffe's response, The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said Ratcliffe's comments were inflammatory and should be withdrawn.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jim Ratcliffe, Man U co-owner, says UK is 'colonized by immigrants'

byCosmopolite

in

February 12, 2026

Manchester United co-owner says UK has been 'colonized by immigrants'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said on Thursday he was sorry he had offended some people by saying the country had ...

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