President Trump held a great meeting with President Bukele of El Salvador.

At noon on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump received the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, at the White House. In the meeting held by both leaders topics such as economy and immigration were discussed, highlighting the case of a recently deported citizen. 

President Bukele stated this Monday that he doesn't have the ability to return to the United States the citizen based in the state of Maryland deported to his country, despite a U.S. Supreme Court order instructing the Trump administration to take steps to facilitate his return.

During a press conference alongside President Trump at the White House, Bukele replied bluntly: "I hope you're not suggesting that I smuggle terrorists into the United States. Of course, I'm not going to do that. The question is absurd. I don't have the power to return him."

The case revolves around Kilmar Abrego García, a man who resided in Maryland and was deported last month to El Salvador, where he was held at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) along with about 260 gang members, under the old Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

According to the Trump administration, Abrego García entered the United States illegally in 2011, a claim supported by two lower courts.

However, a 2019 immigration court order had prohibited his deportation to El Salvador due to the risk of persecution by gangs like Barrio 18.

In court documents, Justice Department lawyers acknowledged that Abrego's deportation was due to an "administrative" and "clerical" error, although presidential advisor Stephen Miller categorically denied it, stating that "Abrego García is an illegal immigrant. He was deported to El Salvador."

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that El Salvador is free to decide whether to return him, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that "U.S. foreign policy is conducted by the president, not a court."

Although a federal judge in Maryland had set April 7 as the deadline for his return, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a subsequent order on April 10, instructing the administration to "facilitate" Abrego's release in El Salvador and ensure that his case was treated as if he hadn't been deported.

However, it didn't impose a new deadline, and also emphasized that deference to the Executive in foreign policy matters must be respected.

In a Sunday court filing, the Justice Department argued that the mandate to "facilitate" the return doesn't imply pressuring El Salvador, but rather removing internal obstacles in the United States that prevent his return. "Any other interpretation of 'facilitate' is neither viable nor constitutional," they indicated.

During the meeting at the White House, Bukele also addressed security issues, highlighting cooperation with the United States to combat crime. "We know you have a crime and terrorism problem. We're a small country, but we can help," he said. He added that El Salvador went from being the "murder capital of the world" to "the safest country in the Western Hemisphere."

Bukele remarked that "we freed millions" by imprisoning criminals and then told Trump: "You have 350 million people to free. You can't just release criminals and think crime will magically disappear. You have to imprison them to free Americans who are clamoring for an end to crime and terrorism."

The Trump administration has coordinated deportation flights with the Salvadoran government, even sending numerous members of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang to CECOT, a prison notorious for its harshness.

Trump, meanwhile, criticized the inefficient border policies of the Biden administration, as well as the liberal bail reforms in Democratic cities. He praised Bukele's tough stance on crime and commended him for his "common sense" approach.

In part of the meeting, Trump also asked Bukele about the participation of men in women's sports, referring to debates on gender identity. Bukele replied that it was "violence," and Trump added: "That's abuse against women."

The meeting marked the first visit of a Latin American leader to the White House during Trump's second term, symbolizing a close relationship between both administrations, especially on immigration and security issues.