US President Donald Trump hosted El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in Washington this week as the two leaders continue to build a close alliance centered around migration control and crime enforcement.
Their meeting came as the US government confirmed it had deported another group of suspected gang members to El Salvador, bringing the total number to more than 200 since January.
The partnership has seen Bukele agree to receive deportees accused of being part of criminal networks like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. These groups have been labeled as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. The move supports Trump’s renewed push for large-scale deportations, a campaign promise that has defined his return to office.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that ten more individuals were sent back to El Salvador over the weekend. However, the deportation policy has faced criticism, especially following the case of Kilmar Ábrego García. He was mistakenly deported earlier this year, and although the US Supreme Court ordered efforts to bring him back, the Trump administration now says it may not be able to do so due to foreign policy complications. While the government admits the error, it also insists that García is linked to MS-13—an accusation his legal team strongly disputes.
The controversy has not slowed down the administration’s plans. Images of deportees being taken to El Salvador’s Cecot mega-prison have surfaced, showing shackled men surrounded by guards. Critics and families of some deportees say innocent people are being targeted based on appearances, especially tattoos, rather than solid evidence. One woman from Venezuela identified her son in a photo taken during a prison transfer and said he had no gang ties.
President Bukele, known for his tough stance on crime, has drawn international attention for his sweeping crackdown on gangs, filling the massive Cecot prison with thousands of detainees. Human rights groups have raised concerns about alleged abuses at the facility, but Trump dismissed those claims when questioned, saying he had no concerns.
Despite legal backlash and growing criticism, the Trump-Bukele alliance continues to strengthen. The Salvadoran leader has been praised by Trump for helping carry out mass deportations and for locking up individuals considered threats by US authorities. Trump said Bukele was doing a “fantastic job,” especially by jailing those “who should never have been in the United States.”
As both leaders push ahead with their shared agenda, the story of those affected—including those potentially wrongfully deported—continues to unfold behind the walls of El Salvador’s largest prison.