The Trump administration is under fire for trying to drop federal charges against Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, a leading MS-13 figure, and deport him to El Salvador. Unsealed court filings suggest the move is linked to a broader agreement with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who reportedly struck a deal with MS-13 in 2019 to exchange government concessions for reduced violence and political backing.
Arevalo-Chavez, who faces serious charges in New York, is believed to have firsthand knowledge of this secret arrangement. Critics, including his legal team, argue that deporting him would prevent damaging testimony about Bukele’s gang ties from coming to light in the US.
The justice department cited foreign policy and national security as reasons for the dismissal. Despite this, a judge has so far blocked Arevalo-Chavez’s transfer to ICE custody, delaying his deportation. The controversy follows a similar case earlier this year, raising questions about US and Salvadoran cooperation to suppress information about government-gang negotiations.