In a move that has raised eyebrows and sparked controversy, Donald Trump has suggested deporting certain U.S. citizens to foreign prisons. During a meeting with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, Trump expressed interest in sending violent American offenders to El Salvador’s high-security facilities, citing the country’s tough-on-crime approach. He directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to explore the legality of such actions under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law historically used during wartime to detain or deport foreign nationals.

“I’d like to go a step further, I mean, I say, I said it to Pam [Bondi]—I don’t know what the laws are, we always have to obey the laws—but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies in the back of the head with a baseball bat when they’re not looking, that are absolute monsters. I’d like to include them in the group of people, to get ’em out of the country, but you’ll have to be looking at the laws on that, Steph—” Trump said, referring to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who was standing just feet away.

This proposal has been met with significant legal and ethical concerns. Legal experts argue that deporting U.S. citizens, especially those born in the country, would violate constitutional protections. The U.S. Constitution guarantees due process and equal protection under the law, making the forced removal of citizens to foreign prisons a contentious issue.

“No law allows a federal court to sentence a defendant to serve their sentence overseas. Nor is there any statute that allows the president to unilaterally remove a U.S. citizen to another country at a whim,” wrote Matt Ford for The New Republic Monday.

The Trump administration’s stance has also drawn criticism for its potential impact on civil liberties. Advocates warn that such measures could set a dangerous precedent, undermining the rights of citizens and eroding trust in the justice system. The idea of outsourcing incarceration to foreign countries raises questions about accountability, oversight, and the treatment of prisoners.

As the debate continues, the proposal highlights the broader challenges of balancing national security concerns with the protection of individual rights. It underscores the importance of adhering to constitutional principles and the rule of law, even in the face of complex policy issues.

Trump says he'd like to deport American citizens to a gulag in El Salvador: "I'd like to go a step further. I said to Pam, I don't know what the laws are, we always have to obey the laws, but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways … I'd like to include… pic.twitter.com/noStvA8JI8

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 14, 2025