According to Fox News, the White House confirmed a $6 million payment to El Salvador for accepting and detaining 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua who were living illegally in the United States.
The agreement comes as a federal judge blocked the Trump administration's attempt to deport illegal immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the deal as cost-effective compared to housing these individuals in U.S. maximum security prisons.
El Salvador's innovative detention solution emerges
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has positioned his country as a regional partner in addressing criminal detention challenges. The Central American nation's mega-prison, known as the Detention Center Against Terrorism (CECOT), will house the Venezuelan gang members.
Bukele explained that while the U.S. payment is relatively low, it aligns with El Salvador's broader strategy to make its prison system self-sustainable. The country currently spends approximately $200 million annually on its corrections system, which includes a Zero Idleness program engaging over 40,000 inmates in various workshops and labor activities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Bukele's leadership, describing him as "the strongest security leader in our region" and "a great friend of the U.S." The partnership demonstrates growing cooperation between the two nations on security matters.
Legal challenges halt Trump's deportation strategy
The transfer to El Salvador occurred simultaneously with U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's order to stop deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. This 1798 law, which Trump invoked on Friday, permits the deportation of citizens from enemy nations without hearings.
The administration's use of this historic legislation marks only the fourth time it has been implemented in U.S. history. Previous applications occurred during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II, highlighting the extraordinary nature of its current deployment.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized the financial benefits of the El Salvador agreement, stating:
It was approximately $6 million, to El Salvador, for the detention of these foreign terrorists. And I would point out that is pennies on the dollar in comparison to the cost of life, and the cost it would impose on the American taxpayer to house these terrorists in maximum security prisons here in the United States of America.
Regional security cooperation strengthens
El Salvador's acceptance of the gang members represents a significant development in regional security collaboration. The arrangement provides an immediate solution to the challenge of housing dangerous criminal elements while deportation procedures face legal obstacles.
President Bukele shared his perspective on the agreement through social media, noting:
Over time, these actions, combined with the production already being generated by more than 40,000 inmates engaged in various workshops and labor under the Zero Idleness program, will help make our prison system self-sustainable. As of today, it costs $200 million per year.
The partnership demonstrates El Salvador's growing role in addressing regional security challenges while developing its domestic corrections infrastructure.
Innovative solution shapes regional security
The Trump administration's $6 million agreement with El Salvador provides temporary housing for 238 members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang in the Central American nation's high-security facilities. The arrangement emerged as legal challenges blocked the administration's attempt to deport illegal immigrants under the rarely-used Alien Enemies Act of 1798. This cooperation between the United States and El Salvador, praised by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, represents a novel approach to managing dangerous criminal elements while navigating complex legal constraints in the U.S. immigration system.
