US to Provide El Salvador $6 Million to Incarcerate 300 Gang Members Who Are Illegal Immigrants for One Year

March 15, 2025 TruthUSA

Trump also issued a proclamation that invoked the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to intensify efforts against the Tren de Aragua gang.

The Trump administration plans to allocate $6 million to El Salvador for the incarceration of approximately 300 accused members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, as well as two alleged members of the MS-13 gang, in their prisons for one year. Both gangs have been classified as terrorist organizations.

Recently, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele proposed to accommodate and detain criminal illegal immigrants in his notorious prison for a fee. This proposal arose during discussions between Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was on his inaugural diplomatic mission of his tenure.

According to a memo obtained by The Associated Press, El Salvador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed, “The Republic of El Salvador agrees to house these individuals for one year, pending the United States’ decision on their long-term disposition.”

As per the agreement between Bukele and Rubio, all incoming detainees are to be housed at El Salvador’s 40,000-inmate “mega-prison” known as the Terrorism Confinement Center.

Bukele characterized the charge as “relatively low for the U.S.” yet substantial enough to support the prison system, estimating that it would cost the United States roughly $20,000 per prisoner per year.

One of the MS-13 gang members, Cesar Eliseo Sorto Amaya, was previously convicted of double homicide in El Salvador before being apprehended for illegally entering the U.S., according to the U.S. Justice Department. The other member faces charges as a high-ranking leader of the MS-13 gang under the Biden administration.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that invoked the Alien Enemies Act from the 18th century to expedite the removal of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) from the United States.

“I hereby proclaim that all Venezuelan citizens aged 14 years and older who are members of TdA, are present in the United States, and are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents are subject to apprehension, restraint, securement, and removal as Alien Enemies,” stated the proclamation.

The proclamation instructs the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to initiate the process of removing these “alien enemies.”

“The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security are empowered to undertake all necessary actions under the Alien Enemies Act to implement this proclamation, in accordance with applicable law,” the proclamation reads.

“All such agents, agencies, and officers are granted comprehensive authority for actions taken in executing these regulations when acting under the direction of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as the case may be.”

Additionally, it seems to encompass Rubio’s recent agreements with El Salvador and Guatemala regarding the extradition of violent, illegal immigrants to their prisons, noting that these declared alien enemies are not only subject to detention until removal from the U.S. but also “subject to removal to any designated location as directed by the officials responsible for enforcing these regulations in accordance with applicable law.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security for confirmation of this transfer arrangement and to gather more details regarding when the first transfer might occur.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link