El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) has been labeled as the world’s worst prison—a facility designed to house the country’s most dangerous criminals under extreme conditions. Now, in a shocking turn of events, former U.S. President Donald Trump may send U.S. citizens there as part of a new deportation deal with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.

This controversial agreement, announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, could see individuals—regardless of nationality—deported from the U.S. to El Salvador, where some could end up behind bars in CECOT. The deal has sparked intense debate over human rights, prison outsourcing, and the ethics of sending American citizens to a foreign high-security prison.

CECOT: The Most Secure and Brutal Prison in the World

CECOT was built in 2023 under Bukele’s administration as part of a severe crackdown on gang violence. The facility, located in Tecoluca, El Salvador, is one of the largest and most secure prisons in the world, with a 40,000-inmate capacity. It was specifically designed to hold members of the notorious MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs, which have terrorized the country for decades.

Security at CECOT is nearly impenetrable:

• 24/7 monitoring by elite guards
• 19 watchtowers armed with snipers
• Massive double-layer concrete walls and electrified fences
• No access to daylight, fresh air, or human rights organizations

Inside, the prison operates under some of the harshest conditions imaginable, leading human rights organizations to compare it to a “modern-day dungeon.”

A Deal Like No Other: Trump and Bukele’s Prison Agreement

Under the newly proposed agreement, the U.S. would deport individuals—including convicted criminals—to El Salvador, where Bukele has offered to imprison them for a fee paid by the U.S. government. What makes this deal unprecedented is that it could apply to U.S. citizens and legal residents, essentially outsourcing part of the American prison system to El Salvador.

According to Rubio:

“We can send them, and [Bukele] will put them in his jails… even if they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents.”

Bukele confirmed the offer but emphasized that only convicted criminals would be accepted. This raises ethical concerns—should the U.S. be sending its own citizens to a foreign prison with a reputation for inhumane treatment?

Life Inside CECOT: A Living Nightmare

BBC News Mundo correspondent Leire Venta visited CECOT and described the prison conditions as inhumane.

• Extreme Heat and No Ventilation: Prisoners are packed into overcrowded cells where temperatures soar above 35°C (95°F) during the day. There are no fans, no air conditioning, and no escape from the suffocating heat.
• Constant Surveillance: Armed, hooded guards patrol the cells, ensuring absolute control. Prisoners are warned not to make eye contact with guards, as any act of defiance could result in brutal punishment.
• Sleeping on Bare Metal: Inmates sleep on four-story-high metal bunks without mattresses or bedding. They must endure the cold steel with no comfort, night after night.
• Minimal, Bare-Bones Food: Meals consist of rice, beans, hard-boiled eggs, or pasta, all eaten with their hands—no utensils allowed for fear that they could be turned into weapons.

The director of the facility made it clear:

“Here are the psychopaths, the terrorists, the murderers who had our country in mourning. Don’t look them in the eyes. Any utensil can be a deadly weapon.”

Why Is Trump Pushing for This Prison Deal?

Trump’s push to send prisoners to El Salvador’s CECOT prison appears to be motivated by three key factors:

1. A Tough-On-Crime Stance – The former president has always positioned himself as a law-and-order leader. By outsourcing prisoners to El Salvador, he could claim to be removing criminals from American soil.
2. Cost Savings for the U.S. Prison System – Maintaining American prisons is expensive. Shipping inmates abroad—especially convicted foreign nationals—could reduce domestic prison costs.
3. Strengthening Ties with Bukele – El Salvador’s president has modeled his leadership after Trump, often embracing authoritarian-style governance. This partnership cements a political alliance between the two leaders.

Backlash: Human Rights Concerns and Legal Challenges

While Trump and Bukele seem eager to move forward, human rights activists, legal experts, and civil liberties organizations have condemned the plan.

• Human Rights Violations: The UN and Amnesty International have criticized CECOT’s conditions, calling them “torturous and degrading.” Sending U.S. citizens there could violate international human rights laws.
• Legal Barriers: Deporting American citizens to foreign prisons would be unconstitutional without due process. Legal experts warn that lawsuits would block this proposal before it ever takes effect.
• Danger of Wrongful Detention: If prisoners are sent abroad, U.S. officials lose oversight, increasing the risk of wrongful imprisonment and mistreatment.

Will This Deal Actually Happen?

Despite Trump’s enthusiasm, the chances of American citizens being sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison remain slim.

• Congress would likely block any policy allowing the U.S. to outsource its prison population.
• Civil rights groups are prepared to file lawsuits to prevent this from happening.
• Public backlash could force politicians to reconsider their support for the plan.

However, for non-citizen criminals, the agreement might proceed. Deporting foreign convicts to El Salvador as part of U.S. immigration policy is more legally feasible, though still highly controversial.

Conclusion: A Dangerous Precedent in Global Incarceration

Trump’s proposal to send criminals—including U.S. citizens—to El Salvador’s brutal CECOT prison is a shocking development in modern law enforcement. While it aligns with his tough-on-crime stance, it raises serious human rights concerns, legal challenges, and ethical dilemmas.

With extreme conditions, 24/7 surveillance, and inhumane treatment, CECOT remains one of the most feared prisons in the world. The idea of Americans being locked away in this hellish facility has sparked global outrage.

Will this bold yet controversial agreement move forward? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain—if the deal proceeds, it will set a dangerous precedent for the outsourcing of prisons worldwide.