Controversy Erupts Over Trump’s Proposal to Deport U.S. Citizens to El Salvador

Washington, D.C. — Former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks suggesting the deportation of American citizens to El Salvador have ignited widespread concern among legal experts, who assert the proposal is not only unprecedented but also plainly unconstitutional.

During a meeting in the Oval Office on Monday with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, Trump floated the idea of transferring U.S. citizens—specifically those accused of violent crimes—to El Salvador for detention. His comments were made in reference to individuals he described as "homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies on the back of the head with a baseball bat when they’re not looking."

The proposal has sparked immediate legal and ethical scrutiny. When asked by Fox News host Jesse Watters about the legality of such an action, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi did not provide a direct answer. Instead, she emphasized the administration’s commitment to public safety: “These are Americans who he is saying have committed the most heinous crimes in our country... if we have to build more prisons in our country, we will do it.”

Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, attempted to clarify the administration’s stance during a press briefing on Tuesday, stating that the president had merely “floated” the idea and that legal teams were reviewing its feasibility. She added that the proposal would apply only to “the most violent, egregious repeat offenders.”

Legal scholars, however, were quick to dismiss the concept as untenable under U.S. law. “There is no provision under U.S. law that would allow the government to kick citizens out of the country,” said Erin Corcoran, an immigration law expert at the University of Notre Dame, in a statement to Reuters. Ilya Somin, a constitutional law professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, echoed the sentiment, calling the idea “obviously illegal and unconstitutional” in remarks to NBC News.

The remarks come amid ongoing scrutiny of the U.S.'s relationship with El Salvador, particularly regarding a controversial $6 million agreement under which the Central American nation detains individuals allegedly affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. The facility in question has been widely criticized for its harsh conditions and reported human rights violations.

While the administration has not formally moved forward with any policy related to the deportation of citizens, the mere suggestion has drawn sharp rebukes across the legal and human rights communities, with many warning of the dangers of politicizing foundational constitutional protections.

As debate over the proposal unfolds, legal experts stress that any attempt to deport U.S. citizens—regardless of criminal background—would face insurmountable constitutional challenges in court.