In a high-profile meeting at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele presented a united front on immigration enforcement, even as controversy erupted over the mistaken deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident.
The Trump-Bukele deportation deal has come under intense scrutiny after it emerged that Abrego Garcia, previously granted protection from deportation by a U.S. court in 2019, was erroneously sent to El Salvador’s maximum-security Cecot prison. Despite a unanimous Supreme Court ruling instructing the Trump administration to “facilitate” his return, Bukele announced in Washington that he will not comply.
Bukele Stands Defiant
During a joint press appearance, Bukele told reporters that he did not have the power to release Abrego Garcia and likened the idea of returning him to the U.S. to “smuggling a terrorist in.” The remark has sparked outrage among human rights advocates, particularly since no credible evidence has been presented tying Garcia to gang activity.
The Salvadoran president justified his decision by emphasizing national sovereignty and his commitment to his hardline prison policies, which have seen over 80,000 arrests under an ongoing state of emergency.
Inside the Cecot Prison: A Global Spotlight
Abrego Garcia is among the hundreds of migrants — many Venezuelans — recently deported to the Cecot (Terrorist Confinement Center), a prison criticized internationally for human rights abuses. Built in under a year, the prison can hold 40,000 inmates and features 19 watchtowers, over a thousand guards, and harsh living conditions. Prisoners have minimal sunlight, are confined to overcrowded cells, and face limited access to water and hygiene.
Critics argue that this aggressive policy replaces gang violence with state-sanctioned abuse. “Reducing gang violence by replacing it with state violence cannot be a success,” said Amnesty International.
Political and Financial Motives
Documents reveal El Salvador receives $20,000 per deportee annually — an estimated $6 million for the latest cohort. Observers suggest this arrangement benefits Bukele financially while bolstering his political image as a tough-on-crime leader. It also shifts attention away from alleged past negotiations between his government and gang leaders.
Analysts believe some deportees may have possessed knowledge of these alleged dealings. By detaining them in El Salvador, the administration reduces the risk of public testimony in U.S. courts.
Trump’s Immigration Policy: A Hardline Continuation
President Trump used the meeting to reaffirm his hardline stance on immigration. Since returning to office, he has ended Temporary Protected Status for thousands and halted asylum and refugee admissions. He has encouraged mass deportations and recently floated the idea of sending American citizens with criminal records to Cecot — a legally questionable proposal.
Despite a court-ordered correction in Abrego Garcia’s case, Trump’s administration maintains he is an “illegal alien” and insists El Salvador must decide his fate.
Public Backlash and Advocacy
Outside the White House, faith leaders and Garcia’s family held a prayer vigil, demanding his return. “We ask, we beg, we pray, that we bring Kilmar home,” said State Attorney Aisha Braveboy of Prince George’s County.
The Trump-Bukele deportation deal is a bold, controversial extension of hardline immigration policy. While both leaders portray it as a success in reducing crime and unauthorized migration, critics warn it tramples on human rights and due process. The fate of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a man caught in a bureaucratic and geopolitical storm — remains uncertain, raising fresh questions about accountability, legality, and the cost of political alliances.
