President Donald Trump said he’s open to sending U.S. prisoners — including naturalized citizens who commit violent crimes — to El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), if legally possible. “We have homegrown criminals who push people into subways... I'd like to include them,” Trump told reporters, adding, “I’m all for it.” CECOT, built by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, is the largest prison in the Americas, designed to hold up to 40,000 of the region’s most dangerous offenders.
Actually, @POTUS said it on camera, too (multiple times) — and made clear he'd only consider it within the confines of the law. https://t.co/0lnKPiuuNW pic.twitter.com/bnpDZMJ3zY
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
Located in Tecoluca, it features 19 watchtowers, electric fences, and over 1,000 armed guards. Trump praised the facility’s security and cost efficiency, suggesting the U.S. could cut expenses and boost public safety by relocating inmates there. He confirmed his administration is also negotiating with other countries for similar arrangements. “If they’re criminals, that includes them,” he said of naturalized citizens. “They’re as bad as anybody.”
