25 April 2025

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele met with his US counterpart Donald Trump in the White House to discuss migration and security. Much of the focus has been on the case of Kilmar Ábrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported to the notorious CECOT mega prison in Angulo. Critics have highlighted that there was no discussion of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the estimated 232,000 Salvadorans in the US. This is due to run out in March 2026. Garcia has since been moved to another prison following a visit by senator Chris Van Hollen. Van Hollen met with Vice President Felix Ulloa who claimed that Garcia could not be returned due to a US$6-15mn contract signed between the countries. The US states it has sent suspected members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua labelled as “terrorists”. A study by Cristosal suggested that 78% of those deported had jobs, a Bloomberg report added that 90% had no criminal record in the US.

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