El Salvador to take deported migrants from US, regardless of nationality

• El Salvador agreed to accept deported immigrants from the U.S., including violent criminals, under a new agreement announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• President Nayib Bukele offered to house American criminals in El Salvador’s jails, but the U.S. has no immediate plans to deport American citizens due to legal challenges.
• In addition to the deportation deal, Secretary Rubio signed a civil nuclear cooperation MOU with El Salvador and secured Panama’s agreement to stop participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

El Salvador agreed to accept deported immigrants from the United States, regardless of their nationality, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday, Feb. 3. The safe third-party agreement will allow the United States to send violent criminals currently serving prison sentences to the Central American country, including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gang members.

Secretary Rubio said President Nayib Bukele “agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world.” 

The secretary general of El Salvador’s leftist opposition party criticized the deportation agreement. According to the AP, Manuel Flores said it would send a signal that Central America’s Northern Triangle is Washington’s “backyard to dump the garbage.” 

In addition to immigrants, President Bukele offered to house American criminals in El Salvador’s jails, including U.S. citizens and legal residents. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce described the offer as an extraordinary gesture that has never been extended by any country before. 

A government official told the AP the U.S. has no immediate plans to deport Americans to the country. The outlet said the U.S. cannot deport American citizens, and any attempt to do so would bring significant legal challenges.

In addition to the deportation deal, Secretary Rubio signed a civil nuclear cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) with El Salvador. Under these agreements, the United States helps countries take the first steps to develop infrastructure for nuclear energy and technology. The MOU can eventually lead to additional agreements that allow the building of nuclear reactors.

Rubio’s stop in El Salvador is part of a multi-country trip to Central America. Earlier in the day, he witnessed a deportation flight in Panama and thanked the country for cracking down on illegal immigration in the Darien Gap, a route used to reach the United States. 

Panama also agreed to stop participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the CCP’s global infrastructure project. The initiative aims to boost the CCP’s political power on the world stage and create dependence on China for investments and trade.