Official statements from the U.S. Department of State or El Salvador's government

Trump Seeks 'Safe Third Country' Deal with El Salvador to Deport Non-Salvadoran Migrants

Jan 26, 2025, 07:54 PM

The Trump administration is in talks with El Salvador to establish a 'Safe Third Country' agreement, which would allow the U.S. to deport migrants from countries other than El Salvador to the Central American nation. This agreement would block these migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S., instead directing them to apply for asylum in El Salvador. The discussions come as part of President Trump's broader immigration strategy, which includes using military flights for deportations to countries like Guatemala and El Salvador. The agreement aims to address the issue of deporting migrants from nations such as Venezuela, which have been reluctant to accept their citizens back, including members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The White House has confirmed that President Trump and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele discussed cooperation on illegal immigration and transnational gangs during a recent phone call. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit El Salvador as part of his upcoming trip to Latin America. This move is part of a series of actions taken by the Trump administration to curb mass migration, including deploying troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and expanding deportation powers.