US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem landed in El Salvador Wednesday to inspect one of the world’s most brutal prisons—a facility packed with gang members deported under Trump’s crackdown. Now, she’s pushing for even more space to house violent criminals sent back from America.
Inside the Nightmare Prison Holding 15,000 Inmates
Noem, 53, stepped inside the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where 15,000 inmates endure deliberately harsh conditions. Recently, 250 alleged Tren de Aragua and MS-13 members—deported by Trump—joined the overcrowded cells.
Rows of tattooed prisoners stood silently in white T-shirts as Noem surveyed the facility. Meanwhile, guards armed with assault rifles patrolled the sweltering complex, ensuring no one stepped out of line.
“No one expects these people can go back to society and behave,” said El Salvador’s justice minister, Gustavo Villatoro, as he guided Noem through the prison.
Noem’s Mission: Send More Gang Members to “Hell on Earth”
After the tour, Noem met with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. Reports suggest she’s negotiating to send even more US deportees to the infamous lockup.
This trip marks her first stop on a three-day Latin America tour targeting cross-border crime. Next, she heads to Colombia and Mexico, delivering a blunt message: “If you’re thinking of coming to America illegally, don’t. You are not welcome.”
Trump’s Controversial Deportation Strategy Faces Legal Hurdles
Trump’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members without trial sparked immediate backlash. A federal judge blocked the order, but the White House ignored it, arguing the flights were already airborne.
Now, an appeals court upheld the freeze in a 2-1 vote. “Nazis got better treatment under this law,” argued Judge Patricia Millett. Still, Trump vows to fight back.
Life Inside El Salvador’s Most Feared Prison
CECOT, opened in 2023, is designed to break inmates. Prisoners endure 23.5 hours daily in cramped cells, sleeping on bare metal bunks. Meals? Just beans and pasta.
They get 30 minutes of indoor exercise—no sunlight, ever. Most will die behind bars. “These are psychopaths,” said the prison director. One inmate Noem saw is serving 465 years.
A Deal with El Salvador—At What Cost?
The US struck a deal with Bukele in February to house deportees here. While fees remain undisclosed, Marco Rubio called them “relatively low.”
As Noem moves forward, one thing is clear: El Salvador’s “horror jail” remains a key piece in America’s immigration battle.
