Trump’s administration has struck a deal to send 300 alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador for one year, paying the Central American nation $6 million to imprison them rather than keeping them in U.S. detention.
Key Facts:
- The Trump administration will pay El Salvador $6 million to house 300 alleged gang members for one year.
- The agreement was reached between President Nayib Bukele and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- El Salvador has imprisoned over 84,000 people under Bukele’s strict anti-gang policies.
- The U.S. formally designated Tren de Aragua a “foreign terrorist organization” last month.
- A State Department memo suggests the U.S. may allocate $15 million more to house additional gang members in El Salvador.
The Rest of The Story:
The deal is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to crack down on criminal migrants, particularly those tied to violent gangs.
Documents do not specify how U.S. officials identified these 300 individuals as members of Tren de Aragua, but Trump has repeatedly called the gang a major threat to American security.
El Salvador will also take in two MS-13 gang members, including one previously convicted of double homicide.
This move aligns with Trump’s push to keep criminal aliens out of the U.S., especially as Venezuela’s government refuses to take back deported criminals.
Despite international law complicating deportation efforts, Trump’s administration is leveraging diplomatic agreements to offload high-risk migrants before they can be released back onto American streets.
🚨 #BREAKING: Trump just involved the Alien Enemies Act.
He is declaring an invasion by Tren de Aragua.
Grants expanded authority for apprehension and deportations.
Here we GO. pic.twitter.com/kCB77qe9I0
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 15, 2025
Commentary:
Paying El Salvador $6 million to lock up these gang members for a year is a bargain compared to the alternative.
If detained in the U.S., these criminals would drain taxpayer dollars through expensive incarceration or, worse, be released due to overcrowding and legal loopholes.
The cost of $20,000 per prisoner in El Salvador is far less than the estimated $50,000 or more it would take to detain them in the U.S. for the same period.
Biden’s failure to control the border allowed violent criminals to flood into the country, endangering American communities.
The fact that Venezuela refuses to take them back makes the situation even more outrageous.
It’s no surprise Trump is stepping in with real solutions—getting these criminals out of the country quickly and cheaply.
Under Bukele’s leadership, El Salvador has become one of the most effective enforcers against gang violence.
His no-nonsense approach has turned the once crime-ridden nation into a safer place, something the U.S. should take note of.
Instead of wasting resources debating open-border policies, America should focus on permanently removing criminal elements before they can harm innocent citizens.
Thankfully, Trump is taking immediate action.
Unlike the previous administration, which allowed these criminals to roam free, Trump is making it clear: gang members will not be tolerated, and America will do whatever it takes to protect its citizens.
The Bottom Line:
This deal keeps dangerous criminals out of the U.S. at a fraction of the cost of detaining them domestically.
While Biden’s failures led to this crisis, Trump’s administration is addressing the issue head-on.
Paying to keep them locked up in El Salvador is far better than letting them walk free in America.
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