Trump says he's open to sending violent criminals who are US citizens to El Salvador prison
Share and Follow


President Trump on Monday indicated he would be open to sending American citizens who are violent criminals to El Salvador to be held in a notorious prison there, telling reporters his administration is studying law on the matter.

“If they’re criminals, and if they hit people with baseball bats over the head that happen to be 90 years old, if they rape 87-year-old women in Coney Island, Brooklyn, yeah. Yeah that includes them,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Why, do you think there’s a special category of person? They’re as bad as anyone that comes in. We have bad ones, too. And, I’m all for it.”

Trump did not specify which cases he was referring to. There is a widely reported case of an 82-year-old Brooklyn woman who was raped in her home. The suspect was an 18-year-old at the time and was found guilty a year later.

Trump’s comments came during a meeting with El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele. Bukele has worked with the Trump administration to take in hundreds of deportees, including many not from El Salvador, and hold them in a massive prison that has drawn criticism from human rights watchdogs.

Trump framed the potential deportation of violent American citizens as a way to save money.

“If it’s a homegrown criminal, I have no problem,” Trump said. “Now, we’re studying the laws right now. Pam is studying. If we can do that, that’s good. And I’m talking about violent people. I’m talking about really bad people. Really bad people. Every bit as bad as the ones coming in.”

Experts have said that there is no legal way for the government to deport legal U.S. citizens to another country. Still, Trump and other administration officials have raised the idea multiple times in recent months, sparking alarm among Democrats and legal experts.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
St. Johns County operations net 36 arrests

St. Johns County Crackdown Leads to 36 Arrests

The St. Johns County Sheriff Office arrested 36 after operations targeting crimes…
Judge's waterfront mansion burns in possible arson as first responders use kayaks for dramatic rescue

Judge’s waterfront mansion burns in possible arson as first responders use kayaks for dramatic rescue

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! South Carolina authorities are…
Government shutdown enters sixth day as Republicans, Speaker Johnson says it's up to Democrats to 'stop the madness'

Government Shutdown Continues for Sixth Day: Republicans and Speaker Johnson Blame Democrats to ‘End the Chaos’

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers provided few public signs of meaningful negotiations to break…
Man chases 3 girls with machete after being denied sex: arrest docs

Man Arrested for Chasing 3 Women with Machete After Being Refused Sex

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A man wielding a machete chased and assaulted…
Paramount acquires Bari Weiss' The Free Press, names her top editor of CBS News

Paramount Purchases Bari Weiss’ The Free Press, Appoints Her as CBS News Chief Editor

The newly formed media corporation Paramount Skydance has acquired The Free Press,…
Negotiators meet in Egypt seeking Gaza ceasefire, hostage release

Diplomats Convene in Egypt to Secure Gaza Truce and Free Hostages

TEL AVIV, Israel () — Officials from Israel, Hamas and the U.S. are…
AP reader question: Is it legal to fire furloughed federal workers during a shutdown?

AP Reader Inquiry: Can Furloughed Federal Employees Be Legally Terminated During a Government Shutdown?

Here’s a question about the shutdown submitted by an Associated Press reader,…
Gov. JB Pritzker to address Trump's effort to deploy National Guard to Illinois as Pentagon authorizes Chicago mission

Governor JB Pritzker to Discuss Trump’s Plan to Deploy National Guard to Illinois After Pentagon Approves Chicago Operation

CHICAGO (WLS) — National Guard Troops from Illinois and Texas are being…