Next on Donald Trump’s deportation list: “homegrown” criminals.
In a meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele Monday, Trump praised Bukele’s willingness to imprison the more than 200 immigrants the United States deported to El Salvador, the majority of whom have no criminal record.
The president then gave a terrifying glimpse at the next step in his plans for mass deportation.
“Homegrown criminals are next. Homegrowns are next. The homegrowns,” Trump told Bukele, confirming that he wants to deport American citizens, a move that would violate the Constitution and test the courts more than ever before.
Trump to Bukele: “Home-growns are next. The home-growns. You gotta build about five more places. It’s not big enough.” pic.twitter.com/o20thGNK9e
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 14, 2025
Trump and Bukele’s meeting comes just weeks after the U.S. deported more than 200 people to El Salvador who the administration claimed were criminals or members of Venezuelan gang MS-13. In reality, most of them do not have a criminal records, nor do they have any proven gang affiliation. They are now being held at the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, a megaprison notorious for human rights abuses.
As he joked with the man who is notorious for the mass imprisonment of his own people, Trump told Bukele CECOT isn’t big enough to hold everyone he plans to deport.
“You gotta build about five more places. It’s not big enough,” Trump told Bukele as the Oval Office erupted in laughter. On the same day, the president told reporters he plans to deport as many people as possible to El Salvador, where Bukele will welcome them with open arms.
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