El Salvador to House US Criminals in Controversial Agreement

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El Salvador has reached an unprecedented agreement with the Trump administration to house violent US criminals and receive deportees of any nationality, drawing significant criticism from rights groups. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the deal following discussions with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on February 3, 2025. According to Rubio, this arrangement marks "the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world."

Under the new terms, El Salvador will continue accepting its own deportees while also deporting illegal immigrants from the US who are classified as criminals. This includes members of notorious gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Bukele confirmed the agreement on social media, stating, “We are willing to take in only convicted criminals into our mega-prison in exchange for a fee,” which he described as beneficial for maintaining El Salvador's prison system.

Critics have voiced concerns that the agreement violates international laws regarding migrant rights and reflects a troubling trend toward authoritarianism, as noted by Emerson College scholar Mneesha Gellman. The implications of the deal remain to be seen.

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