Trump administration sends US deportees to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison under deal with Bukele
President Donald Trump's administration reached an agreement with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to imprison US deportees in CECOT, El Salvador's most notorious prison facility. FRONTLINE and El Faro investigated the deal's terms, scope, and what prompted Bukele to open CECOT's doors for this purpose. The arrangement raises questions about where the US sends deported citizens and what conditions they face in foreign detention. This occurred three months into Trump's second term in 2026.
▸▾Why this is here
- Source
- @frontline
- Source type
- Nonprofit Investigative (Tier 1)
- Content type
- Reported
- Confidence
- Reported
- Coverage
- 0 of 15 major US outlets
- Published
- April 7, 2026 at 7:59 PM PDT
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