Trump Thanks El Salvador for Taking in Alleged Gang Members Deported from U.S.: 'We Will Not Forget'

Donald Trump extended his gratitude to El Salvador on Sunday after its president, Nayib Bukele, shared gripping footage of hundreds of alleged migrant criminals being deported from the U.S. and landing in the Central American nation. The video, which showcased a heavy-handed security process, has drawn major attention.

In a social media post, Trump thanked Bukele for his cooperation in addressing what he called a "horrible situation," blaming it on "incompetent Democrat leadership." Trump’s words, "We will not forget," carried a weighty undertone as he criticized his political opponents. He also referred to the deported individuals as "the monsters sent into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats." Subtlety? Not Trump's style.

According to a senior Trump administration official, 261 illegal aliens were deported to El Salvador in total. Of them, 137 were expelled under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which Trump recently invoked, while others included Venezuelans removed via Title 8 and 21 Salvadoran MS-13 gang members, including two ringleaders labeled as "special cases." The charges against these individuals ranged from kidnapping to aggravated assault and child sexual abuse—an alarming list to say the least.

Interestingly, the deportation flights were already in international airspace when U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order halting Trump's actions under the Alien Enemies Act. However, as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt put it, "The order had no lawful basis" since the planes had already left U.S. soil. It’s safe to say the timing of that court order stirred up a legal gray area.

On reaching El Salvador, the deportees were transferred to a "terrorism confinement center" for at least a year, according to Bukele. The intense video showcased heavily armed Salvadoran authorities corralling the gang members, forcing them into facilities while shaving their heads and escorting them with their hands behind their necks. If this sounds like a scene from a dystopian movie, well—it kind of looked like one, too.

Bukele stated that these measures not only strengthen El Salvador's fight against organized crime but also help make their prison system self-sustainable. "Over time, these actions... will help make our prison system self-sustainable," he wrote, noting it costs $200 million annually to maintain. He also emphasized its broader impact, saying the arrests aid intelligence gathering to dismantle MS-13 remnants.

Both Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Bukele’s leadership, with Rubio calling him "the strongest security leader in our region" and a "great friend of the U.S." This cross-border camaraderie might be rare in international politics, but it’s certainly playing out here, with a shared focus on combating organized crime.

While Trump's actions—and his invocation of an 18th-century law—are likely to stir legal and political debate, the partnership with El Salvador is being celebrated by his allies as a win against violent crime. Whether this sets a precedent for future deportation practices or sparks additional courtroom battles remains to be seen. Either way, the drama unfolding in this saga is far from over.