'We will hunt you down': Kristi Noem warns criminal immigrants during El Salvador prison visit

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) on Wednesday, using the visit to reinforce the Trump administration’s tough stance on immigration and crime. Her trip comes as the administration faces legal challenges over its use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan immigrants accused of gang affiliations.

In a post on X, Noem issued a stark warning: “I toured the CECOT, El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center. President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison.”

I toured the CECOT, El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center.President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison. pic.twitter.com/OItDqNsFxM Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 26, 2025

During her tour, Noem inspected two crowded cell blocks, the prison’s armory, and an isolation unit. She was shown prisoners tightly packed into cells, never allowed outside. Her visit included an area where Venezuelans deported from the U.S. under the Alien Enemies Act are now being held. The administration has described these individuals as “the worst of the worst,” though it has not provided evidence linking them to gangs.

Activists and legal representatives of the detainees argue that the administration has not substantiated claims that the deportees are affiliated with the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. Many do not have criminal records. Human rights groups have also raised concerns about conditions in the prison, where detainees are held indefinitely without due process.

Flights deporting Venezuelans to El Salvador were in the air when a federal judge issued a temporary order halting deportations. However, the Trump administration argued the verbal ruling did not apply to flights that had already departed. The legal battle continues, with an appeals court maintaining the ban on further deportations.

Noem toured a cell block holding Salvadoran prisoners, some bearing tattoos associated with the MS-13 gang. Guards lined up a dozen inmates, ordering them to remove their T-shirts and masks. After listening to Salvadoran officials, Noem turned her back to the cell and recorded a message.

“If an immigrant commits a crime, this is one of the consequences you could face,” Noem said. “First of all, do not come to our country illegally. You will be removed and you will be prosecuted. But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people.”

El Salvador’s Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro emphasized the severity of the measures, showing Noem a cell where prisoners have been held since the prison opened. “No one expects that these people can go back to society and behave,” he stated.

Noem also met with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who has gained admiration from U.S. conservatives for his aggressive crackdown on gang violence. “This unprecedented relationship we have with El Salvador is going to be a model for other countries on how they can work with America,” Noem said.

The visit is part of a three-day trip, with Noem scheduled to travel to Colombia and Mexico. Meanwhile, legal and human rights questions loom over the status of Venezuelans held in El Salvador’s prison, as their future remains uncertain.

(With AP Input)