The Trump administration is considering a controversial plan to deport members of notorious criminal organizations, Tren de Aragua and MS-13, to El Salvador's maximum-security prison, Cecot. This proposal emerged as part of an executive order by President Donald Trump, targeting drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organisations." The idea involves utilizing the mega-jail in El Salvador to house deported gang members, provided the legal framework permits such actions.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has made an unprecedented offer to accept deportees from the United States into his country's high-capacity prison, regardless of their nationality. Cecot, the mega-jail in question, boasts an official capacity of 40,000 inmates, according to government figures. However, rights groups report varied estimates, suggesting that its capacity could range from 80 to over 150 prisoners per cell. The facility has been described as a "concrete and steel pit" by Miguel Sarre, a former member of the United Nations Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture.
"Message for the gangs: because of your actions, your 'homeboys' will not be able to see a ray of sunshine." – President Bukele
President Trump has expressed interest in this potential solution for dealing with gang members in the United States. However, he acknowledged uncertainty about the legality of such deportations.
"If we had the legal right to do it, I would do it in a heartbeat," – Trump
"I don't know if we do or not." – Trump
"We're looking at that right now, but we could make deals where we'd get these animals out of our country." – Trump
The executive order has drawn attention to naturalised US citizens who may have fraudulently obtained their citizenship. Legal experts, such as immigration lawyer Alex Cuic, have noted that citizenship for naturalised individuals is not irrevocable if they are found to have ties to criminal gangs or terrorist organizations.
"If they find out you were a member of any group that persecuted or threatened to persecute others, they can try to denaturalise you" – Mr. Cuic
"Citizenship is not something that is definitively forever if you are naturalised" – Mr. Cuic
The prison's director emphasized its capacity by stating:
"Where you can fit 10 people, you can fit 20" – The prison's director
In a show of support, Marco Rubio, Trump's top diplomat, praised President Bukele's hardline approach against MS-13 and highlighted his willingness to assist the United States.
"He [Bukele] has also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentences in the United States even though they're US citizens or legal residents" – Marco Rubio
Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump's special envoy for Latin America, also mentioned these criminal organizations and speculated on the deterrent effect of deportation to El Salvador.
"I bet they're going to want to go back to Venezuela instead of dealing with the Mara prisons in El Salvador" – Mauricio Claver-Carone
The Trump administration's discussions around this proposal have raised concerns about human rights and the treatment of prisoners within Cecot. The facility is known for its harsh conditions, where inmates are confined to their cells 24 hours a day with only 30 minutes allocated for group exercise in a windowless corridor.
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