El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has offered to accept deportees from the United States, including individuals from various countries and even U.S. citizens. This offer was made following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The proposal includes accepting criminals, particularly gang members like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, and housing them in El Salvador’s new “mega-prison.” Bukele suggested that accepting these individuals could help El Salvador’s prison system become financially self-sufficient by charging the U.S. for each deportee.
This offer has drawn attention as it also involves people from countries with tense relations with the U.S., such as Cuba and Venezuela. Although the U.S. has not planned to deport American citizens, this offer signals a shift in U.S.-El Salvador relations and could influence future immigration policies. Rubio’s visit to El Salvador is part of efforts to reduce migration to the U.S. by strengthening cooperation in Central America.