Two Trinidadian men, Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, were killed in a U.S. boat strike on October 14, 2025, leaving their families to seek justice for the "manifestly unlawful" killings. The family members of the victims have filed a lawsuit against the United States government under the Death on the High Seas Act and the Alien Tort Statute.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other organizations, claiming that the U.S. military's actions were extrajudicial killings without due process. The plaintiffs argue that the U.S. government's claims of "non-international armed conflict" with designated terrorist organizations are not valid, as there is no actual armed conflict justifying the lethal attacks on boats in international waters.
According to the complaint, Joseph and Samaroo were killed while returning from Venezuela to their homes in Trinidad, where they were working on farms. The U.S. military claimed that the two men were involved with a designated terrorist organization, but the families of the victims dispute this claim, stating that there was no information linking them to such activities.
The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. government's actions are violations of international laws prohibiting extrajudicial killings and federal law prohibiting murder. The complaint notes that summary execution has long been recognized as a violation of customary international law.
The Intercept reports that this is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger campaign of attacks in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 126 civilian deaths. Experts argue that these strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings, as they involve deliberately targeting civilians, even those suspected of being involved with terrorist organizations.
The Trump administration's justification for these actions is based on a secret memorandum that provides legal cover for the lethal strikes, but critics argue that this does not render the patently illegal killings lawful.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other organizations, claiming that the U.S. military's actions were extrajudicial killings without due process. The plaintiffs argue that the U.S. government's claims of "non-international armed conflict" with designated terrorist organizations are not valid, as there is no actual armed conflict justifying the lethal attacks on boats in international waters.
According to the complaint, Joseph and Samaroo were killed while returning from Venezuela to their homes in Trinidad, where they were working on farms. The U.S. military claimed that the two men were involved with a designated terrorist organization, but the families of the victims dispute this claim, stating that there was no information linking them to such activities.
The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. government's actions are violations of international laws prohibiting extrajudicial killings and federal law prohibiting murder. The complaint notes that summary execution has long been recognized as a violation of customary international law.
The Intercept reports that this is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger campaign of attacks in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 126 civilian deaths. Experts argue that these strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings, as they involve deliberately targeting civilians, even those suspected of being involved with terrorist organizations.
The Trump administration's justification for these actions is based on a secret memorandum that provides legal cover for the lethal strikes, but critics argue that this does not render the patently illegal killings lawful.
... Two innocent men, Chad and Rishi, were killed in a US boat strike on the high seas. Like, what even is that? 
It's so messed up how the US government is claiming it was some kind of legitimate action against terrorists, but really it sounds like they just made it up to avoid accountability. 
The fact that this happened at least 126 times already, with civilian deaths, is just staggering... how many more lives do we need to lose before someone takes a stand? 
This case is getting crazier by the day! I mean, I've seen some weird stuff happen in the world of international law, but this takes the cake. These two Trinidadian dudes get killed by a US boat and now their families are suing the government for what? Extrajudicial killings without due process? It's like something out of a bad action movie 
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. I feel for these families and their loved ones. They deserve justice 
. I mean, 126 civilian deaths? That's just crazy talk! 
It's like they think they're above the law or something. And now we got two families left to pick up the pieces, literally 
. The whole thing stinks of a cover-up and I'm not buying it 
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. And now these two guys get killed in a U.S. boat strike? Like, what even is the point of that? 
It just feels like we're not getting the whole story here... and that's what scares me 
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. Maybe they're trying to protect their own interests or something? But protecting who, exactly? The American people? I don't think so... 
just saw this news and I'm absolutely livid 
. It's like they did something wrong, but apparently they didn't... 
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. You gotta follow due process, have a trial... something! This just makes me so angry 
no worries about due process or international law, right? 
the fact that they're using a secret memo to justify these killings is laughable. I mean, who needs actual evidence when you've got a piece of paper that says so? 
. It's like, hello, you killed our loved ones, can't we just get some answers and closure already? 
. We need to hold our governments accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to something as serious as extrajudicial killings 
This is crazy man... the US just keeps doing whatever it wants and then hides behind some fancy law or memo to justify it. I mean, how can you call 2 innocent guys getting killed in international waters "non-international armed conflict"? That's just a bunch of bureaucratic BS 
. The fact that there's a whole campaign of attacks in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean with at least 126 civilian deaths is just heartbreaking 
And now we're hearing about another case like that here. Can't we just have some answers? Some accountability for these actions? 
it's like something straight outta a movie and it makes me so angry 
According to the Death on the High Seas Act, the US government is liable for damages if they're engaging in extrajudicial killings... and that's exactly what's happening here! 
Here's a breakdown of the number of civilian deaths in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean since 2019:
what's going on here?! 
I mean, 126 civilians already dead 
... meanwhile, families are left to mourn & fight for justice 
. Can't we do better than this?! 