US Deports 17 Terrorist Gang Members to El Salvador, Rubio Says

The Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs were designated by the Department of State as foreign terrorist organizations last month.

U.S. military personnel escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the MS-13 gang recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, on March 30, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via Reuters

U.S. officials transferred 17 Tren de Aragua and MS-13 terrorist gang members to El Salvador on the evening of March 30, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on March 31.

Both gangs were designated by the State Department as foreign terrorist organizations in February, as the Trump administration attempts to target illegal immigrants with criminal records.