Date April 14th, 2025 | By TruthWire.News Staff
Who: President Trump, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele
What: Proposed sending American citizens convicted of violent crimes to prisons in El Salvador
Where: White House meeting, U.S. and El Salvador
When: April 14, 2025
Why: To incarcerate violent offenders overseas, sparking legal and ethical concerns
Source: Time, AP News, Reuters
President Trump shocked observers today by suggesting that American citizens convicted of violent crimes could be sent to prison in El Salvador. The controversial idea emerged during a White House meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, where Trump expressed enthusiasm about incarcerating Americans at El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
Legal experts swiftly condemned the proposal, pointing out constitutional barriers that explicitly prevent deporting U.S. citizens. Critics warn such a policy would violate constitutional rights and international human rights standards, potentially breaching the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
While no formal plan has been detailed, Trump’s remarks have ignited fierce debate on both sides of the political aisle, drawing widespread criticism from human rights advocates and legal analysts alike.