El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele offered to incarcerate dangerous American criminals in El Salvador's prisons, a proposal described by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as an 'extraordinary migratory agreement'. The offer includes housing both U.S. citizens and legal residents.
While it's unclear if the Trump administration will accept the offer, Rubio expressed gratitude and stated he discussed it with President Trump. The agreement also includes El Salvador accepting violent illegal immigrants from various countries, particularly members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.
Bukele confirmed the offer on social media, specifying that only convicted criminals would be accepted into the country's mega-prison, CECOT, in exchange for a fee. This fee, Bukele noted, would make El Salvador's prison system sustainable.
Elon Musk expressed support for the proposal. The State Department called the offer an unprecedented gesture. However, any such agreement would likely face legal challenges. El Salvador's human rights record, including allegations of indiscriminate arrests and police abuse, raises concerns about conditions in Salvadoran prisons, which have been criticized for overcrowding and inhumane conditions by Human Rights Watch.
Further agreements between the U.S. and El Salvador included a civil nuclear cooperation memorandum of understanding and a promise of assistance to help detect suspicious travelers.