Bukele Strikes Controversial Deal: El Salvador to Detain U.S. Deportees of All Nationalities, Including Convicted American Criminals
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has secured a groundbreaking deal with El Salvador. The Central American nation has agreed to accept deportees from the U.S.—regardless of nationality—including convicted American criminals.
Following a private meeting at President Nayib Bukele’s lakeside residence on Monday, Rubio called the agreement “unprecedented” and “extraordinary.” Bukele confirmed the offer on X (formerly Twitter), describing it as an opportunity for the U.S. to “outsource part of its prison system” to El Salvador. The country would take in only convicted criminals and charge the U.S. a fee, which Bukele said would sustain his nation’s prison system.
Billionaire Elon Musk, praised the move on X, calling it a “Great idea!!”
U.S. Legal and Human Rights Concerns
While the Trump administration has no current plans to deport American citizens, Rubio emphasized the importance of the deal. However, deporting U.S. citizens would face significant legal challenges.
El Salvador’s prison conditions have also raised human rights concerns. The State Department describes the country’s jails as “harsh and dangerous” with poor sanitation, inadequate ventilation, and overcrowding.
Since declaring a state of emergency in 2022 to crack down on street gangs, Bukele’s government has arrested over 83,000 people with little due process. His new mega-prison, designed to hold 40,000 inmates, offers only one meal per day, no visitation rights, and no rehabilitation programs.
A Move in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Rubio’s visit to El Salvador is part of his five-nation Central American tour, which also includes Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. His mission aligns with U.S President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, which focus on keeping migrants from reaching the U.S.
This agreement could serve as a “safe third country” deal, meaning El Salvador could house foreign nationals arrested in the U.S. for violating immigration laws. It could also apply to Venezuelan gang members convicted in the U.S. if Venezuela refuses to take them back.
Backlash from Critics
Opposition leaders in El Salvador have criticized the plan. Manuel Flores, leader of the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, slammed the deal, saying,
“It makes the region Washington’s backyard to dump its garbage.”
Human rights advocates warn that without a clear asylum policy, the agreement could extend beyond violent criminals and result in human rights violations.
USAID Shutdown and Nuclear Cooperation
While in El Salvador, Rubio also signed a memorandum with Salvadoran officials to advance U.S.-El Salvador civil nuclear cooperation, potentially leading to future agreements on nuclear power and medicine.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) faced major disruptions. Staffers were ordered to stay out of headquarters after Elon Musk announced that Trump agreed to shut down USAID. Thousands of employees have already been laid off, and Rubio is now acting administrator, though he has delegated daily operations.
Rubio defended the shake-up, saying USAID had become “unaccountable” and that some programs would continue under new oversight. However, legal challenges to the agency’s new status are expected.
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