El Salvador’s president Bukele says he won’t return Maryland man
In a conference at the White House, Nayib Bukele informed President Trump he would not return the mistakenly deported Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
WASHINGTON ― On Monday, President Donald Trump proposed that U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes might be sent to El Salvador, telling Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele that the “homegrowns are next” and encouraging him to construct additional prisons for that purpose.
Trump raised this notion ‒ a topic he’s previously discussed ‒ with Bukele during their Oval Office meeting before media representatives were allowed in. The conversation was broadcast live on the X account of Bukele’s office.
“Homegrown criminals are next,” Trump remarked to Bukele. “I mentioned homegrowns are coming next, the homegrowns. You’ve got to develop around five more facilities.”
Bukele responded with “alright,” while laughter was audible from Trump’s aides present in the room.
“It’s not big enough,” Trump added.
Trump has sought to have El Salvador detain suspected criminal migrants expelled from the U.S. Bukele made CECOT, the country’s notoriously severe Terrorism Confinement Center, available for the Trump administration to detain over 270 men accused of being affiliated with the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs.
One of those held in El Salvador is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father and sheet metal worker, who a federal court ruled was wrongly deported after being wrongly identified as a member of MS-13. Bukele stated on Monday that he has no intention of releasing Abrego Garcia, who was in the U.S. illegally, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s order for the Trump administration to facilitate his return.
Experts in law have indicated that confining naturalized and U.S.-born citizens in another nation would violate the Constitution.
Trump reiterated his proposal to send criminal U.S. citizens to El Salvador while speaking with reporters beside Bukele.
“We always need to adhere to the laws, but we also have homegrown criminals who push individuals into subways, and who assault elderly ladies from behind with a baseball bat when they’re not paying attention ‒ they are absolutely monstrous,” Trump stated.
“I would like to involve them in the group of individuals to be removed from the country, but you’ll need to examine the laws regarding that, Steve,” Trump said, addressing Stephen Miller, a deputy White House chief of staff who has been instrumental in shaping Trump’s immigration policies.
Trump later noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi is reviewing the legality of transporting violent U.S. citizens to El Salvador.
“If it’s a homegrown criminal, I’m fine with it,” Trump said. “We are currently examining the laws. Pam is looking into whether we can proceed with that. And I’m talking about violent offenders. I’m specifically referring to truly dangerous individuals.”
Bukele mentioned to Trump that he is “eager to assist the Trump administration.” “Mr. President, you have 350 million individuals to liberate,” Bukele remarked. “But to free 350 million people, certain individuals need to be imprisoned.”
Contact Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
