US President Donald Trump said he would not object to transferring American prisoners to El Salvador, in response to an offer made by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who will visit Washington to discuss the issue.
Bukele had previously offered to host hardened criminals from the United States at his country's maximum-security prison complex, known as the Sikut Terrorist Detention Center, which is notorious for its harsh conditions.
"If they can house these hardened criminals for a lot less money than it costs us, I'm all for it, but I'm only going to do it in accordance with the law," Trump said in response to a question from reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.
Trump also invited Bukele to visit the White House on April 14 for further discussions on the issue.
This proposal comes at a time when Washington has already begun deporting hundreds of suspected Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, in apparent defiance of a US court order barring the Trump administration from carrying out such expulsions.
Bukele has since expanded the offer to include convicted US citizens, stating that it will help make El Salvador's prison system financially viable.
Human rights organizations have long criticized Bukele's prison policies, citing arbitrary arrests and widespread human rights violations.