El Salvador Accepts 250 Tren de Aragua Gang Members

President Donald Trump expressed gratitude towards Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for accepting over 200 members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua into his country's prisons, a move negotiated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This transfer, part of an agreement under the Alien Enemies Act, marks the first use of this 1798 law since World War II, allowing for the deportation of non-citizen gang members. Bukele confirmed the arrival of 238 gang members, who will be detained in the Terrorism Confinement Center for a year, with the possibility of renewal, emphasizing that this initiative will aid in making El Salvador's prison system self-sustainable. While the U.S. government sees this as a cost-saving measure, a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportations, questioning the legality of applying the Alien Enemies Act in this context. The deal also includes the deportation of 23 MS-13 members wanted in El Salvador. Rubio lauded Bukele as a strong ally in the fight against organized crime, highlighting the significance of this cooperative arrangement between the two nations.