The Trump administration is currently in the process of developing an asylum agreement with the government of El Salvador that would allow the United States to deport migrants to the small Central American country if they are not originally from there. This information has been shared by two sources familiar with the internal deliberations to CBS News. The agreement is known as a “Safe Third Country” agreement, and it would give U.S. immigration officials the authority to deport non-Salvadoran migrants to El Salvador, preventing them from seeking asylum in the United States. Instead, these migrants would be deported with instructions to apply for asylum in El Salvador, which would be designated as a “safe third country.”
If finalized, this plan would revive a previous agreement that was negotiated by the first Trump administration with El Salvador but was never put into effect and was later terminated by former President Joe Biden’s administration. The implementation of a safe third country agreement could be a significant advancement for the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies, as it would enable the deportation of migrants from various countries, including Venezuela, which restrict or outright refuse U.S. deportations of their nationals.
One of the proposed plans being considered internally would allow the U.S. to conduct deportation flights to El Salvador that would include suspected members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that President Trump has focused on in his efforts to combat illegal immigration. Shortly after his inauguration, President Trump instructed officials to initiate the process of designating Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization.
It remains uncertain how El Salvador would handle the deported gang members if this plan is put into action. Under President Nayib Bukele, the Salvadoran government has implemented a rigorous campaign to subdue the country’s notorious gangs, including MS-13, through mass incarcerations. Bukele’s administration is expected to be a key ally of the Trump administration, as he is widely popular in El Salvador and among U.S. conservatives, largely due to his anti-gang policies, which have been criticized by international organizations for potential due process violations.
The White House has confirmed that President Trump and President Bukele had a phone conversation on Thursday where they discussed collaborating to combat illegal immigration and crack down on transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua. Additionally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has promised to prioritize reducing mass migration, is scheduled to visit El Salvador in early February as part of a trip to Latin America that is set to commence later this week.
As of now, representatives for the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House have not responded to requests for comment on this matter.
