Attorney General Sidesteps Trump’s Controversial Proposal to Deport U.S. Citizens to El Salvador
Attorney General Sidesteps Trump’s Controversial Proposal to Deport U.S. Citizens to El Salvador
Donald Trump has raised alarm with a controversial proposal to deport U.S. citizens accused of violent crimes to El Salvador—a move legal experts widely agree is unconstitutional. When asked about the legality of the idea, the U.S. attorney general declined to give a direct answer.
On Monday, during a meeting in the Oval Office with El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, Trump suggested that “homegrown criminals”—including those who commit violent street crimes—could be sent to El Salvador for imprisonment. Bukele has previously cooperated with U.S. deportation efforts and has overseen mass incarceration in a prison system known for serious human rights concerns.
When Fox News host Jesse Watters asked Attorney General Bondi whether Trump’s proposal was legal, she avoided giving a definitive response. “These are Americans who he says have committed the most heinous crimes,” Bondi said. “Crime is going to decrease dramatically because he has given us a directive to make America safe again.” She added that offenders “need to be locked up as long as the law allows,” and mentioned the possibility of building more prisons in the U.S.
Trump has floated this idea before, saying he “loved” the concept of deporting U.S. citizens to El Salvador. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described it as merely a “suggestion.”
But immigration experts are unequivocal: the plan is illegal.
“There is no provision under U.S. law that allows the government to remove its own citizens,” said Erin Corcoran, a professor at the University of Notre Dame. Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, called the proposal “pretty obviously illegal and unconstitutional.”
Despite this, the U.S. currently pays El Salvador $6 million annually to detain alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang—a controversial move in itself.
Press Freedom and the Broader Threat
Trump’s authoritarian tendencies have also extended to the press. He’s taken steps to punish critical media outlets, including bans, lawsuits, and restricting access to favored journalists. But the threat to journalism isn’t limited to Trump. Globally, independent reporting is under siege from both economic pressure and authoritarian regimes.
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