ISTANBUL

The Trump administration has confirmed that it deported four noncitizens to El Salvador, in violation of a court order that prevents deportations to countries other than the individual’s country of origin without first allowing the opportunity to raise safety concerns.

According to ABC News, Justice Department attorneys argued in court filings Thursday that the order was not violated because the removal of four alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, was carried out by the Department of Defense, not the Department of Homeland Security.

The deportations may violate a March 28 order issued by US District Judge Brian Murphy, who required that individuals with final removal orders be given an opportunity to present safety concerns before being sent to a country that is not their country of origin.

However, Tracey Huettl, a field operations unit chief with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed that the four Venezuelan nationals were flown from Guantanamo Bay to El Salvador on March 31 -- just three days after Judge Murphy’s order.

Huettl stated that all four men were members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, and had criminal records. One was accused of recruiting prostitutes, another faced charges related to firearms and theft, one was linked to sex offenses and human smuggling, and the fourth had been arrested for drug-related crimes. None had prior removal orders to El Salvador.

Judge Murphy has scheduled an April 28 conference to investigate further what he describes as the "potential violations of the temporary restraining order."

Last Friday, the judge ordered the Trump administration to let noncitizens raise safety concerns before being deported to a third country.