Name: Rubio Says El Salvador Agrees to House Criminal Deportees of Any Nationality From US in Its Jails
Uploaded: 2025-02-05T05:05:45.000Z
Description: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has agreed to accept deported criminal illegal immigrants from the United States of any nationality, in what he called the “most unprecedented” migratory agreement in the world.

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

China’s Broken Promises Loom Over New Trade Deals

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Californians React as Trump Calls for Gas Tax Suspension

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Trump Administration Reports Zero Border Releases

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

US to Host 1st Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, Featuring Shakira, Madonna

Savannah Pointer is a politics reporter for The Epoch Times. She can be reached at savannah.pointer@epochtimes.us

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Health News

Texas Children's Hospital to Open First-Ever Detransition Clinic Under Deal With DOJ

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has agreed to accept deported criminal illegal immigrants from the United States of any nationality, in what he called the “most unprecedented” migratory agreement in the world.

At a signing ceremony for a civil nuclear agreement with El Salvador’s foreign minister, Rubio said that Bukele has offered his “full cooperation” in U.S. illegal immigrant deportation efforts, including agreeing to take in “dangerous American criminals” with U.S. citizenship.

He did not specify which offenses would warrant the transfer of convicted U.S. citizens to the Central American nation but said that further details on the agreement would be forthcoming.

Rubio said that Bukele has also agreed to accept the deportation of El Salvador’s citizens who illegally entered the United States and criminal illegal immigrants of any nationality, including members of Latin American gangs such as El Salvador’s MS-13 and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

The state secretary hailed Bukele’s offer to house deported criminal illegal immigrants from the United States as “an act of extraordinary friendship to our country” and said he had spoken with President Donald Trump about it.

“No country’s ever made an offer of friendship such as this,” Rubio told reporters, according to a <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-and-salvadoran-foreign-minister-alexandra-hill-tinoco-at-the-signing-of-a-memorandum-of-understanding-concerning-strategic-civil-nuclear-cooperation/">transcript</a> issued by the State Department. “We are just profoundly grateful.”

Bukele confirmed in a statement that he agreed to house U.S. criminal deportees in El Salvador’s “mega-prison” in exchange for an unspecified fee from the United States.

“We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system,” Bukele <a href="https://x.com/nayibbukele/status/1886606794614587573">stated</a> on the social media platform X.

The El Salvadorian president said the fee would be “relatively low for the U.S.” but “significant” enough to help make his nation’s prison system sustainable.

The agreement was reached during a Feb. 3 meeting between Rubio and Bukele, which the U.S. State Department described as “tremendously successful” for both sides.

“Multiple agreements were struck to fight the waves of illegal mass migration currently destabilizing the entire region,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-rubios-meeting-with-salvadoran-president-nayib-bukele/">statement</a>.

Bruce said that Rubio told Bukele that Washington would issue a waiver to unfreeze aid supporting El Salvador’s programs to combat illegal border crossings into the United States. This waiver comes in light of Trump’s <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-suspends-us-foreign-assistance-for-90-days-upon-further-review-5796208">90-day freeze</a> on all U.S. foreign assistance.

The meeting also covered other issues, with Rubio discussing “strategies to counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party” in the Western hemisphere, Bruce stated.

Rubio was visiting El Salvador as part of his five-nation Central American tour—which also included Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. The diplomatic trip focused on curbing illegal immigration, countering China’s influence in the region, and strengthening economic partnerships with the nations.

He arrived in the capital of San Salvador on Monday shortly after watching a U.S.-funded deportation flight with dozens of illegal immigrants leave from Panama for Colombia. That came a day after Rubio <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/rubio-presses-panamanian-leaders-for-immediate-changes-on-chinese-influence-over-canal-5803006">warned Panama</a> that unless the government moved immediately to eliminate China’s presence at the Panama Canal, the United States would act to do so.

The United States was concerned that an agreement Panama signed in 2017 to join the Chinese Communist Party’s global Belt and Road infrastructure project—following its decision to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan—could potentially grant China unacceptable control over the waterway. Meanwhile, El Salvador severed ties with Taiwan in 2018 and switched allegiance to China.

The State Department’s information webpage for traveling to El Salvador described prison conditions in the country as “harsh and dangerous,” stating that overcrowding in detention centers could pose “a serious threat” to prisoners’ health. The webpage stated that “in many facilities, provisions for sanitation, potable water, ventilation, temperature control, and lighting are inadequate or nonexistent.”

<em>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/rubio-says-el-salvador-agrees-to-take-in-us-deportees-prisoners-5803758">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Videos

Politics

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

International

Americas

Management

Immigration &amp; Border Security

02_Second Lead

Executive Branch

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.