President Donald Trump has expressed interest in a proposal from El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to house U.S. criminals in El Salvadoran prisons. Speaking from the White House on Tuesday, Trump indicated that if it were legally feasible, he would implement the plan “in a heartbeat.” The offer, unveiled by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a press conference in Costa Rica, involves transferring both U.S. citizens and permanent residents convicted of crimes to serve their sentences in Central American prisons.
“No one’s ever made an offer like that,” Rubio stated. “To outsource at a fraction of the cost some of the most dangerous and violent criminals we have in the United States is unprecedented.” He described the proposal as an “act of extraordinary friendship.”
Trump underscored the potential financial benefits and deterrent effects of the plan. “It’s no different than a prison system, except it would be a lot less expensive. And it would be a great deterrent—send them to other countries,” he said. However, Trump acknowledged that legal barriers might prevent such a move. “We’ll have to find that out legally. I’m just saying if we had the legal right to do it, I would do it in a heartbeat.”
The proposal has drawn immediate backlash from legal experts who argue that deporting U.S. citizens to foreign prisons would violate the U.S. Constitution. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, condemned the idea as blatantly unconstitutional. “This is so incredibly illegal that there’s not even a hint of a possible way to do it under any circumstances whatsoever,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). “It violates international law and the U.S. Constitution. Period.”
The Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, is seen as a key legal obstacle. Experts have also cited international human rights treaties that protect against forced deportation to foreign incarceration.
Rubio, however, maintained that the offer demonstrates strong diplomatic ties between the U.S. and El Salvador. He also revealed that Bukele had agreed to accept deported foreign nationals with criminal records, particularly gang members from groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. “Bukele has agreed to accept for deportation any illegal alien in the United States who is a criminal, from any nationality,” Rubio said. “He has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals currently in U.S. custody.”
Rubio described the agreement as “the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world.” He expressed deep gratitude to Bukele, stating that the deal highlights the strong partnership between the two nations.
Following their two-and-a-half-hour meeting, Rubio praised Bukele’s leadership, particularly his controversial security measures aimed at cracking down on gang violence in El Salvador. “Difficult decisions had to be made,” Rubio noted, referring to Bukele’s aggressive approach to law enforcement.
While further details on the proposal have not been disclosed, Rubio indicated that additional information would be forthcoming. In the meantime, the plan has sparked a heated debate over its legality and implications for U.S. citizens’ rights.
Supporters argue that the initiative could alleviate overcrowding in U.S. prisons and reduce incarceration costs. Critics, however, caution against violating constitutional protections and international legal standards.
As the Trump administration explores the proposal’s feasibility, both domestic and international observers are closely monitoring the situation. The outcome could have significant implications for U.S. criminal justice policy and diplomatic relations with Central America.
