President Donald Trump has floated the idea of deporting U.S. citizens to El Salvador, the White House confirmed Tuesday but said it was not clear if there was a legal pathway to do that.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt such a move would focus on people who have committed major crimes.
“The president has said if it’s legal, right, if there is a legal pathway to do that. He’s not sure, (and) we are not sure if there is,” Leavitt noted in response to a question.
“It’s an idea that he has simply floated and has discussed very publicly in the effort of transparency,” she said.
About, who could possibly be the target of such deportation if it were to be legal, the Press Secretary said at a briefing with reporters.
“These would be heinous, violent criminals who have broken our nation’s laws repeatedly. These are violent, repeat offenders on American streets.”
Leavitt was speaking in the backdrop of President Trump’s response to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s suggestion that the U.S. government send individuals incarcerated in the federal prison system to his country, including American citizens.
On Sunday, Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One he loved the idea of removing U.S. citizens and that would be an “honor” to send them to El Salvador.
As per reports, Bukele has made a deal worth millions of dollars to take in alleged Venezuelan gang members from the United States. Reports say the prison the deportees are being held has a history of human rights abuses.
The Trump administration has removed the alleged gag members under the Alien Enemies Act.
