President Bukele, who labels himself as the "coolest dictator" and a "philosopher king," has built election success and immense popularity on an extreme security policy to combat gang violence in El Salvador, incarcerating large quantities of alleged gang members and securing a massive drop in homicides.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised President Nayib Bukele’s “unprecedented, extraordinary” proposal to accept any convicted criminal deported by the United States.

The US has agreed an "unprecedented" migrant deal with El Salvador, with the country offering to accept deportees from any country - including criminals.