The left is already throwing a fit about this.
“I’m Not Smuggling Criminals Into the U.S.,” Bukele Tells President Trump in Oval Office Meeting
In a bold rebuke to recent judicial pressure, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele declared Monday that his country has no legal authority to return a known MS-13 gang member back to the United States—despite a Supreme Court ruling that suggested the Trump administration should “facilitate” the deportee’s return.
“I hope you are not suggesting that I smuggle terrorists into the United States,” Bukele told reporters alongside President Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office. “Of course, I’m not going to do it. I don’t have that power, and the idea is preposterous.”
This high-stakes immigration standoff centers around Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran national removed under the Alien Enemies Act, a law dating back to the 18th century. García is currently being held at El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), known for detaining high-risk gang affiliates. The Trump administration has identified him as a senior operative within MS-13, one of the most dangerous transnational gangs operating in the U.S.—an accusation his family denies.
Trump Administration Defends Deportation Policy: “He Was in Our Country Illegally”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that the individual was illegally present in the United States, entering unlawfully in 2011—an act confirmed by two separate lower court decisions.
“That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,” Bondi stated. “The Supreme Court didn’t say we have to demand it. It said we would help if El Salvador chooses to send him back. That could mean providing a plane. That’s all.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added: “Foreign affairs are conducted by the President of the United States, not unelected judges. He’s a Salvadoran citizen who broke U.S. immigration law. Deportation means you go back to your country of origin, period.”
While a Maryland judge initially set an April 7 deadline for García’s return, the Supreme Court later clarified that the Trump administration only needed to facilitate his release—not force it. Legal filings from the Department of Justice over the weekend reinforced this, stating that facilitating return means removing domestic barriers, not overriding a sovereign nation’s decision.
White House Pushes Back on Media Spin: “No Mistake Was Made”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller pushed back against media claims that the deportation was an accident. “The only mistake was one line in a legal brief, written by a Justice Department attorney who has since been removed from the case,” Miller said. “This wasn’t a clerical error. This was a criminal alien who was deported—end of story.”
President Trump, who has long championed strong border enforcement and zero-tolerance immigration policies, expressed interest in expanding deportation cooperation with El Salvador but declined to comment directly on García’s case.
“That’s where you deport people—back to their country of origin,” Trump said, reiterating a principle that resonates with millions of Americans concerned about illegal immigration and national security.
Trump and Bukele: A Strong Alliance Against Transnational Crime
President Bukele became the first Latin American leader to visit President Trump during his second term, signaling a renewed commitment to combating international gang violence, strengthening border control, and standing firm against judicial overreach.
For everyday Americans—especially those concerned about crime, illegal immigration, and national sovereignty—this case is yet another reminder of the challenges facing our legal system and the critical importance of strong executive leadership.