US has to study El Salvador's offer to hold American criminals in its jails: Top diplomat

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the US has to study El Salvador's offer to hold American criminals in its jails.

"That's an offer President (Nayib) Bukele made. Obviously, we'll have to study it on our end. There are obviously legalities involved," Rubio said at a news conference with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves in San Jose.

Rubio's remarks came one day after El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele offered to house in his jails "dangerous" American criminals, including US nationals and legal residents.

It's a "very generous" offer, Rubio said. "No one's ever made an offer like that, and to outsource, at a fraction of the cost at least some of the most dangerous and violent criminals that we have in the United States, but obviously the administration will have to make a decision."

After talks with Rubio on Monday, Bukele agreed to take back all Salvadoran MS-13 gang members who are unlawfully in the US.

The president also "promised to accept and incarcerate violent illegal immigrants, including members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, but also criminal illegal migrants from any country," the State Department said Monday.