The public is not on board with Trump’s idea about sending Americans to a foreign prison

During his first term, Donald Trump did not make any significant attempts to deport American citizens to foreign prisons, a concept that was popular in 17th-century England and did not spark much public debate. However, things have changed in his second term.

Shortly after starting his second term in January, Trump mentioned the idea of the United States potentially paying foreign countries a fee to incarcerate American criminals. He repeated this sentiment in early February using similar wording.

Trump’s interest in the idea seemed to grow in the following weeks. In March, he posted on social media about the possibility of sending American citizens to a prison in El Salvador for vandalizing Tesla vehicles. He later expressed his enthusiasm for sending American inmates to El Salvador’s mega-prison, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirming his seriousness.

When Trump met with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, he hinted at his interest in sending American criminals to foreign prisons, suggesting that “homegrown criminals are next” and that El Salvador would need to build more prisons. Trump reiterated this point in interviews and discussions, despite public backlash and legal barriers.

Despite the public’s strong opposition to the idea, with a majority of voters and even Republican voters rejecting the notion of American citizens being sent to foreign prisons, Trump continues to talk about it. This persistence raises concerns about the seriousness of the threat posed by his proposals.

It’s unusual to see such a large consensus on an issue given the nation’s political divisions, but public sentiment against Trump’s plan is overwhelmingly negative. Despite this, Trump appears undeterred, persisting in his advocacy for sending American criminals abroad, regardless of public opinion.

This article provides an update on the ongoing discussion surrounding Trump’s controversial proposal.