On the heels of the Trump administration's widespread crackdown on illegal immigration, the White House says President Donald Trump will host El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele in Washington, D.C. next week.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Tuesday press briefing that President Trump will welcome Bukele on April 17th during what she described as an "official working visit." Leavitt said the two leaders will look to build on diplomatic cooperation as the U.S. continues its mass deportation of suspected gang members to El Salvador.
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"They will discuss El Salvador's partnership on using their super max prison for Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members, and how El Salvador's cooperation with the United States has become a model for others to work with this administration," Leavitt told reporters.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has deported hundreds of suspected gang members to El Salvador under the Alien and Enemies Act, an obscure wartime law from 1798 that grants the president sweeping powers to deport noncitizens without a hearing before a judge.
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg last month issued an order barring the deportations under that act. But the Supreme Court ultimately sided with the Trump administration, ruling Monday in a 5-4 decision that the deportations can continue.
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"Last night, the Supreme Court delivered a massive legal victory to the Trump administration and allowed us to continue removing foreign terrorist invaders under the Alien Enemies Act," Leavitt said of the ruling. "This was a smack-down to a rogue, left-wing, low-level district court judge, who have relentlessly tried to stop President Trump from using his core Constitutional powers as head of the executive branch and as commander-in-chief. The highest court in the land made it clear that the president of the United States has the power to protect our homeland and forcibly remove foreign terrorists who pose a grave threat to families and communities."
