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Trump Expresses Desire to Deport Certain US Citizens to El Salvador


The president indicated that his administration would review pertinent laws.

On April 14, President Donald Trump expressed support for the deportation of certain U.S. citizens who have committed crimes, eliciting backlash from Democrats.

“I’m not entirely sure what the laws state—we have to abide by them—but we also have homegrown criminals who shove people into subways and attack elderly women from behind with baseball bats. They are truly evil individuals,” Trump stated to reporters at the White House in Washington.

“I would like to consider including them in the group slated for deportation, but it will require an examination of the laws,” he continued.

Later, Trump clarified that he was indeed referring to U.S. citizens possibly being part of those to be deported.

“If they’re criminals and if they assault individuals with baseball bats … and if they assault 87-year-old women in Coney Island, Brooklyn, then yes, they are included,” he asserted. “Do you think they belong to a special category of individuals? They are just as bad as anyone that crosses the border illegally. We have dangerous individuals among us as well.”

Trump’s comments were made during a meeting with El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, whose country is currently accommodating hundreds of illegal immigrants deported from the United States.

Bukele previously offered to accommodate individuals of any nationality in El Salvador’s correctional facilities.

As Trump and Bukele entered the room, the president mentioned that “homegrown criminals are next,” adding that El Salvador would need to “construct about five additional facilities.”

Bukele replied, “we’ve got the capacity.”

The U.S. Constitution protects its citizens, and the courts have affirmed that Americans who commit crimes maintain their citizenship. However, naturalized citizens can lose their citizenship if found to have illegally obtained it in certain cases.

“It is against the law to expatriate U.S. citizens due to a criminal conviction. In fact, U.S. citizens can only have their citizenship revoked if they knowingly commit acts leading to a voluntary relinquishment, such as ‘formally renouncing their nationality during wartime’ or ‘remaining outside the U.S. during wartime or national emergency to avoid military service,’” stated Lauren-Brooke Eisen, senior director at the Brennan Center for Justice, in a blog post.

Democrats condemned Trump’s remarks.

“Suggesting the idea of sending U.S. citizens to foreign prisons, where many have died, is a shocking assault on our Constitution and democracy,” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) remarked on the social media platform X.
“It’s a perilous, unconstitutional proposal that contradicts the fundamental values our nation represents. In America, citizenship is a right, not a privilege that can be taken away at will. We do not exile our own—we uphold the rule of law,” added Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.).

These comments followed the Trump administration’s deportation of at least 288 illegal immigrants, many of whom are from Venezuela, to El Salvador. Officials report that this group includes members of the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs.

The U.S. government has allocated approximately $6 million to El Salvador to support housing these individuals in its prison system, as stated by the White House.

One of those deported, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a native of El Salvador, was sent back to his home country despite a judicial order prohibiting his deportation. Officials indicated that the deportation was a mistake, but the Trump administration stated on Monday that it does not have the power to return Garcia to the U.S.

“It’s up to El Salvador if they choose to return him,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi shared as Trump and Bukele convened. “That decision lies with them.”

Bukele stated that his government would not send Garcia back, who a U.S. judge declared as “a confirmed member of MS-13,” the gang designated by Trump as a foreign terrorist organization.

“How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I lack the authority to send him back to the U.S.,” Bukele remarked.

When asked if he would release Garcia within El Salvador, Bukele answered in the negative.

Lawyers representing Garcia have argued that the administration should take measures to ensure their client’s release following a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court decision. The federal judge in charge of Garcia’s case has yet to rule on this motion.



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