El Salvador Offers to House US Criminals in Latest Diplomatic Move.
El Salvador will accept dangerous criminals from U.S. jails, including American citizens, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday after meeting President Nayib Bukele.
"No country has ever made an offer of friendship such as this," Rubio said. The plan includes taking criminals of any nationality who live in the U.S. without legal status.
Bukele posted on X that El Salvador would house convicts in its mega-prison "in exchange for a fee." The offer goes beyond a 2019 deal on accepting migrants.
The Trump administration seeks faster removal of people living in the U.S. without permission. It has sent more troops to the Mexico border and tried to stop migrant processing through executive orders.
Rubio praised Bukele's anti-gang efforts, which changed El Salvador from a high-crime nation into one of the region's safest places. Police have arrested about 75,000 suspected gang members under emergency rules.
Rights groups raised alarms about the arrests. Amnesty International said state violence has replaced gang violence in El Salvador.
The Secretary made these announcements during his first foreign trip. He also urged Panama to reduce Chinese influence over its canal.
Bukele won power in 2019 as San Salvador's former mayor. He promised to fight gangs, reduce corruption, and build stronger U.S. ties.
El Salvador will accept dangerous criminals from U.S. jails, including American citizens, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday after meeting President Nayib Bukele.
"No country has ever made an offer of friendship such as this," Rubio said. The plan includes taking criminals of any nationality who live in the U.S. without legal status.
Bukele posted on X that El Salvador would house convicts in its mega-prison "in exchange for a fee." The offer goes beyond a 2019 deal on accepting migrants.
The Trump administration seeks faster removal of people living in the U.S. without permission. It has sent more troops to the Mexico border and tried to stop migrant processing through executive orders.
Rubio praised Bukele's anti-gang efforts, which changed El Salvador from a high-crime nation into one of the region's safest places. Police have arrested about 75,000 suspected gang members under emergency rules.
Rights groups raised alarms about the arrests. Amnesty International said state violence has replaced gang violence in El Salvador.
The Secretary made these announcements during his first foreign trip. He also urged Panama to reduce Chinese influence over its canal.
Bukele won power in 2019 as San Salvador's former mayor. He promised to fight gangs, reduce corruption, and build stronger U.S. ties.
