On Sunday, President Donald Trump shared his thoughts on potentially sending American inmates to El Salvador’s mega-prison to serve their terms, saying he would “love” to do it but would have to see if it’s legal.
Trump shared his thoughts while speaking with reporters on Air Force One after he was asked whether he plans to discuss the idea with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.
“Well, I love that,” Trump said. “If we could take some of our 20-time wise guys that push people into subways and that hit people over the back of the head and that purposely run people over in cars — if he would take them, I would be honored to give them.”
However, Trump admitted that he wasn’t sure if he had legal standing to do so, noting that it’s something he would have to look into.
“I don’t know what the law says on that, but I can’t imagine the law would say anything different,” he said. “If they can house these horrible criminals for a lot less money than it costs us, I’m all for it, but I would only do according to the law.”
Still, he admitted that he would be happy to be rid of the nation’s repeat offenders.
“I think if we could get El Salvador or somebody to take them I’d be very happy with it. But I have to see what the law says,” Trump added.
This prospect was first brought up in February by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who shared that Bukele had made the offer as he was working to accept deported migrants from the U.S.
“[Bukele’s] also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentences in the United States, even if they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents,” Rubio said at the time.
Bukele shared his thoughts on the situation on social media, confirming what Rubio said and calling his offer a chance for the U.S. to “outsource part of its prison system.”
“We are willing to take in only convicted criminals (including convicted U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee,” Bukele wrote on X. “The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable.”
While Rubio and now Trump have praised the offer from Bukele, experts have maintained that the U.S. government does not have the authority to deport American citizens, and having them serve jail time in another country would likely result in legal challenges.