US President Donald Trump has proposed a controversial idea. On Monday, he suggested sending violent American citizens to El Salvador. He made the comment during a meeting with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele at the White House.

Currently, El Salvador accepts deported undocumented migrants from the U.S. The country then locks them up in a massive prison. However, that prison has faced criticism for serious human rights violations.

Trump Points to Crime Concerns

Trump wants to take strict action against violent criminals. He mentioned offenders who attack strangers in subways or harm elderly women. According to him, these people could be jailed in El Salvador.

Earlier, Trump said he “loved” the idea of deporting U.S. citizens found guilty of violent crimes.

Pam Bondi Avoids Legal Details

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi avoided answering questions about the plan’s legality. On Tuesday, Fox News host Jesse Watters asked her if the move would be legal. Instead of giving a clear answer, she defended Trump’s intentions.

“These are Americans who he is saying have committed the most heinous crimes in our country, and crime is going to decrease dramatically because he has given us a directive to make America safe again,” Bondi said.

She added, “These people need to be locked up as long as they can be, as long as the law allows. We’re not going to let them go anywhere, and if we have to build more prisons in our country, we will do it.”

White House Says It’s Only an Idea

Later, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained the situation. She said Trump had not committed to the proposal yet. Instead, he had “simply floated” the idea.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, a reporter asked whether it was legal to send Americans to prisons in Central America. Leavitt replied, “It’s a legal question that the president is looking into.”

Moreover, she clarified that Trump only considered this action for “the most violent, egregious repeat offenders.”

Experts Say It’s Unlawful

Despite these remarks, legal experts say the proposal breaks U.S. law. The Constitution does not allow the government to deport its own citizens. Therefore, sending Americans to foreign prisons would be illegal.

In addition, many human rights groups have criticized El Salvador’s prison system. Reports from international organizations reveal poor conditions and abuse.

At this point, Trump has not taken any official steps to act on the idea.