Statements from foreign governments or international organizations

Trump Proposes Exiling American Repeat Violent Offenders to Foreign Countries for Small Fee, Seeks Legislative Approval

Jan 27, 2025, 11:51 PM

President Donald Trump has proposed a plan to exile American citizens who are repeat violent offenders to foreign countries, where they would be maintained for a small fee. Speaking at a House Republican Conference dinner at his Doral, Florida golf resort, Trump expressed his desire to remove these individuals from the U.S., likening the operation to mass deportation flights for undocumented immigrants. He mentioned that these offenders have been arrested numerous times, including 30, 35, 41, and 42 times, for serious crimes such as murder and assault. Trump's proposal aims to reduce the burden on U.S. prisons and taxpayers, suggesting that foreign countries could take in these criminals for less than the cost of maintaining them in American jails. He also referenced the need for legislative approval to implement such a policy, acknowledging the constitutional and legal challenges it would face, including the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments. Historically, similar practices like 'punishment by transportation' were used by the UK to send criminals to colonies like New South Wales until the 19th century.