Trump thanks El Salvador for taking in alleged gang members
President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude towards El Salvador on Sunday after the country’s president, Nayib Bukele, shared a dramatic video of hundreds of alleged migrant criminals landing in Central America after being deported from the U.S. In his social media post, Trump thanked El Salvador, particularly President Bukele, for their understanding of the situation, which he blamed on what he described as incompetent Democratic leadership in the U.S.
The recent deportation of 261 illegal aliens to El Salvador included individuals with criminal backgrounds such as kidnapping, sexual abuse of a child, aggravated assault, prostitution, robbery, and assault of a police officer. Among them were 21 Salvadoran MS-13 gang members, two MS-13 ringleaders, and 101 Venezuelans removed via Title 8. The deportation process was met with a legal challenge when a federal judge ordered the planes carrying the migrants to return while they were already outside of U.S. airspace.
Despite the legal hurdles, the migrants arrived in El Salvador and were immediately transferred to a terrorism confinement center, where they will be detained for at least a year. The intense video footage shared by Bukele showed heavily-armed Salvadorean authorities apprehending the suspects and leading them into the facilities. The suspects were seen having their heads shaved and walking with their hands behind their necks as they were escorted to their prison cells.
Bukele confirmed that the apprehension of the MS-13 members was a crucial step in gathering intelligence to combat organized crime and eliminate the remnants of the gang. He also highlighted the efforts to make the prison system self-sustainable through various workshops and labor programs involving inmates. This initiative aims to reduce the annual cost of $200 million associated with the prison system.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commended President Bukele for his strong leadership in maintaining security in the region and for his assistance in dealing with the deported criminals. Rubio praised Bukele as a great friend of the United States and expressed gratitude for his support.
The collaboration between the U.S. and El Salvador in addressing the issue of criminal deportees underscores the importance of international cooperation in combating organized crime and ensuring the safety of both countries. President Trump’s acknowledgment of El Salvador’s efforts and President Bukele’s commitment to enhancing security and intelligence gathering reflect a shared commitment to fighting crime and promoting safety in the region.
