Trump to Host El Salvador’s Bukele Amid Migrant Crackdown Talks/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ El Salvador President Nayib Bukele visits the White House as a key partner in Trump’s migrant deportation strategy. His country has already accepted hundreds of Venezuelans accused of gang ties, raising legal and human rights concerns. The visit may yield deeper cooperation—and possible trade relief for El Salvador.
Trump-Bukele Deportation Talks: Quick Looks
- High-Stakes Visit: Bukele visits Trump to expand deportation cooperation
- Venezuelan Deportees: El Salvador holds over 200 migrants in supermax prison
- Legal Controversy: One U.S. resident deported despite court protections
- White House Praise: Trump says Bukele doing a “fantastic job”
- Funding Deal: U.S. to pay $6M to detain migrants in El Salvador
- Trade Tensions: Bukele may seek relief from Trump’s 10% tariffs
- Rights Concerns: El Salvador under emergency rule, suspending civil liberties
- Supreme Court Ruling: Migrants must now receive hearings before deportation
Trump to Host El Salvador’s Bukele Amid Migrant Crackdown Talks
Deep Look
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele is in Washington this week, meeting with President Donald Trump to solidify his status as a pivotal ally in Trump’s sweeping deportation crackdown. The visit underscores El Salvador’s emerging role as a destination for migrants deported from the U.S., many of whom face legal uncertainties and alleged mistreatment.
Since March 2025, Bukele’s government has accepted more than 200 Venezuelan nationals, accused by U.S. officials of having gang affiliations. The migrants are currently held in a maximum-security facility outside San Salvador, notorious for housing alleged members of El Salvador’s violent street gangs.
The White House claims this operation is essential to protecting U.S. communities. Critics argue it’s a dangerous overreach—especially as the administration has offered little evidence linking the deportees to gang activity and has refused to release their identities.
Trump Praises Bukele’s Role
Speaking ahead of their Monday meeting, Trump hailed Bukele as “amazing,” crediting him for solving “a lot of problems” the U.S. can’t handle domestically.
“He’s doing a fantastic job,” Trump said. “We have some very bad people in that prison. People who should’ve never been allowed into our country.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who visited El Salvador in February, has called the partnership a “game-changer” in combating international gang violence. Over the weekend, another 10 alleged gang members—linked to MS-13 and Tren de Aragua—were sent to El Salvador, Rubio confirmed.
Legal Challenges and Human Rights Concerns
The operation has not been without legal friction. In one case, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident from Maryland, was deported despite having a valid court order protecting him from removal due to fears of persecution in El Salvador. He remains detained there, and although the Supreme Court has ruled he must be allowed to return, his status is still unresolved.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the administration is working to “facilitate” the return—but not “effectuate” it, creating a legal gray area. Trump later said he would comply with a direct order from the court.
Funding the Deportation Program
Under the current agreement, the U.S. will pay $6 million to El Salvador to cover detention costs for the Venezuelan deportees over a 12-month period. The prison, built by Bukele in Tecoluca, has become a symbol of his tough-on-crime approach, credited with slashing violent crime in El Salvador.
However, this security push comes at a cost. The country has been under a state of emergency for three years, during which civil liberties have been suspended and mass detentions have surged past 84,000 arrests.
Still, Bukele remains wildly popular at home, and his tough tactics have earned admiration from conservative U.S. leaders, despite warnings from human rights groups.
What Bukele Wants in Return
Bukele’s cooperation may not come for free. He’s expected to request relief from Trump’s newly imposed 10% tariffs, arguing that the duties undermine El Salvador’s fragile post-pandemic economic recovery.
César Ríos, director of the Salvadoran Immigrant Agenda Association, said Bukele’s visit must go beyond photo ops.
“It’s crucial that this visit translates into real outcomes that help Salvadorans both here and abroad,” he said.
Bukele is also pushing for the return of Salvadoran gang leaders currently held in the U.S., describing it as “an issue of honor.” His government believes justice should be served on home soil, and some deportations have already begun.
Trump Floats Idea of Deporting U.S. Citizens
In a legally questionable twist, Trump recently floated the idea of having El Salvador accept violent U.S. citizens as well—saying only that it would be done “according to the law.” Legal experts quickly pointed out that deporting American citizens is unconstitutional, raising concerns over the administration’s interpretation of the law.
Leavitt clarified the idea would only apply to “heinous, violent criminals who have broken our nation’s laws repeatedly,” but offered no legal pathway for such deportations.
Bukele’s Changing Relationship with the U.S.
Bukele’s ties with Washington have shifted depending on the administration. Under Trump’s first term, he was seen as a valuable partner in curbing Central American migration. But relations cooled during the Biden presidency, which frequently criticized Bukele’s authoritarian tendencies and judicial overreach.
Now, the State Department has upgraded El Salvador’s travel advisory to Level 1—the safest level—citing reduced gang activity and improved security conditions. This shift is likely to be used by the Trump administration as further evidence that their migration policy is effective.
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