The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced that under the Foreign Enemies Act, nearly 250 individuals considered members of the Tren de Aragua have been sent to El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele has offered to imprison them. In this context, Bukele requested the sending of two leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang and 21 of the most wanted to face justice in his country, a request that has been fulfilled.
According to Rubio, Bukele has offered to keep the accused members of the Tren de Aragua in Salvadoran prisons at a fair cost, which he claims will save American taxpayers money. The official emphasized the cooperation between the two countries, highlighting Bukele's strength as a leader in security and his friendship with the United States.
Rubio praised Donald Trump's administration for fulfilling the promises made to the American people and stated that the expulsion of violent criminals like those from the Tren de Aragua would not have happened under any other president. To expedite deportations, Trump applied the Foreign Enemies Act, an authority that allows for the detention or deportation of citizens from an enemy nation without a prior hearing.
The Foreign Enemies Act had not been invoked since World War II, and in this case, it seeks to deport Venezuelans considered members of the Tren de Aragua who are not legal residents in the U.S. Before its implementation, a federal judge prohibited its application in the deportation of five Venezuelans, later expanding the ban to cover all non-citizens in U.S. custody.
The White House indicated that the Tren de Aragua was designated a foreign terrorist group by the United States in February and has been described as one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on the planet. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt emphasized that they represent a direct threat to U.S. national security and noted that the arrest and deportation of these nearly 250 members has saved lives in the United States.
