Nayib Bukele Refuses to Release Salvadoran Wrongly Deported from the U.S.

In a meeting at the White House on Monday, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele turned down the request to release Kilmar Armando Ábrego García, a Salvadoran national mistakenly deported from the United States. Currently, he is held at the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT), El Salvador's massive prison facility. Ábrego García, who is 29 and a legal resident of Maryland, was deported on March 15, 2025, by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), despite a court order preventing his expulsion due to the risk of persecution in El Salvador.

During his discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump, Bukele asserted his power to repatriate Ábrego García but refused to facilitate his return, arguing against smuggling a "terrorist" back into the United States. "Of course, I won't do it. How could I smuggle a terrorist into the U.S.?" Bukele stated to the press gathered in the Oval Office.

According to Efe, the Salvadoran leader admitted he could order the release of Ábrego García but made it clear he would not. "We don't particularly enjoy freeing terrorists in our country," he said with a hint of irony. He further emphasized that El Salvador has become the "safest" country in the region and does not wish to revert to being the "murder capital of the world."

Prior to Bukele's remarks, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi clarified that the decision regarding Ábrego García's return is now up to the Salvadoran government, as the young man is currently under their custody. Stephen Miller, President Trump's adviser and the primary architect of recent immigration policies, stressed that Ábrego is a Salvadoran citizen and that it would be "arrogant" to dictate El Salvador's actions regarding its nationals.

The case has sparked criticism from human rights organizations and U.S. lawmakers, who are demanding Ábrego García's release. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled his deportation was illegal and ordered his return, but the Trump administration argues they are not obligated to repatriate him without El Salvador's cooperation. Ábrego García's wife, Jennifer Vásquez, has publicly appealed to Bukele to reunite their family.

Meanwhile, the Salvadoran government has received six million dollars from the U.S. as compensation for accepting deportees under the Alien Enemies Act, revived by Trump. Nayib Bukele was welcomed by Donald Trump at the White House this Monday, in a meeting that solidified a close bilateral alliance on migration and security issues. The event featured public statements highlighting the political and rhetorical alignment between both leaders.

In doing so, Bukele becomes the first Latin American president to be officially received by Trump during his second term.