Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem toured El Salvador’s massive high-security prison known as CECOT this week, as the United States prepares to negotiate the expansion of deportation transfers involving suspected gang members. The facility, known for its austere conditions and intense security protocols, currently holds around 15,000 inmates, including hundreds recently deported from the U.S.
Noem’s visit included a guided inspection of the prison grounds, where she observed the strict confinement practices used to detain individuals with suspected ties to violent criminal organizations, including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Her visit is part of a broader effort to strengthen international cooperation on transnational gang enforcement and immigration enforcement.
Following the tour, Noem held closed-door meetings with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to discuss expanding the country’s role in housing deportees with criminal affiliations. Discussions focused on increasing the number of deportations to El Salvador and enhancing collaborative efforts to dismantle organized crime networks operating across borders.
The visit comes amid heightened efforts by U.S. immigration authorities to expedite the removal of non-citizens involved in gang activity. As part of this initiative, El Salvador is being considered as a strategic partner in absorbing deported individuals from other countries with suspected gang affiliations, including Venezuelan nationals.
While officials describe the collaboration as a national security priority, the prison’s harsh conditions have drawn criticism from human rights groups concerned about detainee treatment. Noem did not comment on the criticisms but emphasized the importance of international alignment in the fight against organized crime.
Her visit to El Salvador is one stop in a broader diplomatic tour of Latin America aimed at reinforcing regional security partnerships and boosting cooperation on immigration enforcement and border control strategies.