Washington DC — US President Donald Trump is hosting El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele at the White House to highlight what American officials said was a "historic partnership to make the world a safer place."

Trump told Bukele on Monday that "you are helping us out" by holding those deported from the US in a notorious prison in El Salvador, to which Bukele responded, "We are eager to help."

Trump stated, "Now we just need to remove the criminals, murderers, and rapists from our country."

As both leaders spoke, White House emailed journalists what it said was a "tiny sample of the cold-blooded criminals deported to El Salvador".

The list included names of some two dozen alleged gang members that Bukele's country has taken in.

"Thanks to the two leaders, scores of violent illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gang members, and other sick criminals have been swiftly taken off our streets," the White House added.

Bukele's visit to the US is pivotal for both nations.

Shortly after Trump's inauguration to a second term, Bukele made a surprising offer to the new US leader — San Salvador can accept deportees from the US, for a fee.

Then in March, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 against Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal group from Venezuela's prisons, following the Salvadoran leader's proposal.

A rarely invoked law allows the US president to detain or deport nationals from an "enemy nation" during wartime or invasion. It was last used during World War II.

The Trump administration deported around 250 alleged Tren de Aragua members to El Salvador, where they were placed in the CECOT mega-prison, central to Bukele's anti-gang strategy.

The prison, with a capacity of 40,000, was constructed for gang members in a country once plagued by high murder rates, which have recently declined.

CECOT prisoners are denied visitors and attend hearings virtually. The prison blocks cell signals to prevent gang members from contacting criminals outside, according to media reports.

Activists claim detainees in El Salvador's prisons are isolated and lack legal recourse, while some families deny their relatives' gang affiliations.

$6 million fee for keeping deportees

"It was approximately $6 million to El Salvador for the detention of these foreign terrorists," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at one of her recent briefings.

"I would point out that is pennies on the dollar in comparison to the cost of life and the cost it would impose on the American taxpayer to house these terrorists and maximum-security prisons here in the United States of America."

"The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us," wrote Bukele, who has for three years used harsh tactics to imprison and punish alleged criminals, including those associated with Salvadoran gang MS-13.

Among those deported and held in CECOT is a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and remains there, despite a court order for his return to the US.

Stephen Miller, a deputy chief of staff, told reporters at the White House on Monday morning that, "It's up to El Salvador and to the government and the people of El Salvador what the fate of their own citizens is. We can't extradite citizens of foreign countries to our country over the objection of those countries."

Now, with Bukele — a key ally in Trump's broader deportation strategy — meeting the US President in White House, talks are centering on El Salvador's role in accepting deportees from the US and other areas like economic growth and tariffs.

Ahead of their talks, Leavitt confirmed the prison partnership would be discussed by Trump and Bukele. And the Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised their alliance as a model for regional security and prosperity.

Another key topic is Trump's extensive tariffs affecting numerous countries, including Salvadoran exports.

El Salvador exported nearly $6.5 billion in goods in 2024, with $2.1 billion going to the US, mainly clothing, sugar, and coffee, per the central bank. The Salvadoran Industrial Association's president, Jorge Arriaza, hopes Bukele's White House visit will clarify the tariff's implementation.

Bukele says won't return Abrego Garcia

Meanwhile, as the two presidents met, demonstrators, including Abrego Garcia's wife and young children, gathered outside the White House to protest the Maryland man’s deportation.

"President Trump, bring Kilmar home now!" a speaker addressing the group outside the White House said.

A US immigration judge had granted Abrego Garcia protected status due to potential gang violence in El Salvador. He also held a US work permit before his deportation.

"His status was he's an illegal alien who's been ordered deported, which means he can be indefinitely detained and removed to any other country in the world," Miller told reporters on Monday.

Talking to reporters, Rubio defended the Trump administration, stating, the US foreign policy is led by the President, not the courts.

Bukele also reinforced his country’s stance in conversation with media, stating Abrego Garcia cannot be extradited to the US.

"How can I return a criminal to the US? Smuggle a terrorist in?," Bukele asked, deeming the question "absurd" and adding, "I don't have the power to return him to the United States."