Nayib Bukele Refuses to Return Mistakenly Deported Salvadoran to US

Bukele's Stance on Deported Individual

• 🇸🇻 President Nayib Bukele stated he has no intention of returning a man mistakenly deported from the United States, likening the request to smuggling a terrorist.
• 💡 Bukele asserted that he lacks the power to return the individual to the US and that releasing him into El Salvador is not an option, as they are not inclined to release terrorists into their country.

Allegations and Legal Arguments

• 🤝 Bukele echoed claims from the Trump administration that the deported individual, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, is a member of the MS13 gang.
• ⚖️ Garcia's lawyers deny the gang affiliation, stating the US has provided no credible evidence to support the claim.
• 🏛️ During a meeting with President Trump, members of the Trump administration argued they were not obligated to bring Garcia back, despite a US Supreme Court order.

US Administration's Position

• 🗣️ Attorney General Pam Bondi explained that Garcia was illegally in the US, and his return is a matter for El Salvador, not the US.
• ✈️ The US would facilitate a return by providing a plane if El Salvador wished to take him back.

Broader Deportation Policies

• 🌍 The Trump administration has deported hundreds, primarily Venezuelans, to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.
• 🔒 Migrants accepted by El Salvador are housed in a high-security terrorism confinement center, which critics claim engages in human rights abuses.
• 🏗️ Trump expressed a desire to send as many undocumented individuals as possible to El Salvador and offered to help Bukele build more prisons.