February 4th 2025.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, has agreed to a groundbreaking migratory agreement. This agreement would allow for the deportation of any individual, regardless of nationality, currently serving time in the U.S. for criminal charges. Bukele's offer also extends to American citizens who are convicted criminals, which has raised some concerns among experts and officials.
Rubio made this announcement during a signing ceremony for an unrelated civil nuclear agreement with El Salvador's foreign minister. In his statement, he highlighted Bukele's willingness to take in convicted criminals from any country, including notorious gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Bukele confirmed this offer to Rubio, stating that the country's largest and newest prison, the Terrorism Confinement Center, has a maximum capacity of 40,000 inmates and is prepared to house these individuals for a fee.
However, the idea of deporting American citizens to another country for incarceration has sparked legal concerns. Leti Volpp, a law professor at UC Berkeley, asserts that the U.S. is prohibited from deporting its citizens, regardless of their incarceration status. Despite these challenges, some within the Trump administration, including his ally Elon Musk, have expressed support for the idea.
Mneesha Gellman, an international politics scholar, views this proposal as a transactional relationship between two authoritarian, right-wing leaders. She believes it lacks a legal basis and could potentially violate international laws protecting the rights of migrants. Nonetheless, Rubio's announcement comes as the U.S. government continues to pressure Central American countries to assist with immigration efforts.
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