President Trump Monday threatened to send Americans to a notorious prison in El Salvador, asking President Nayib Bukele to “build about five more places.”
Sending American prisoners to foreign jails would violate the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which bars “cruel and unusual” punishments, according to criminal justice advocates.
It’s not the first time Trump has threatened to send U.S. citizens to Salvadoran prisons. His comments Monday came while meeting with Bukele, who said returning a wrongly deported Maryland man would be “preposterous” despite a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return.
Human rights observers have said the Salvadoran prison is overcrowded, and have documented instances of inhumane conditions and torture.
I really hope we can all be on the same page that sending Americans to a cruel international prison for the act of opposing the Supreme Leader will be met with resistance of the second amendment variety. What would we have to lose at that point? I’d rather be shot dead than be tortured the rest of my days.
That’s the direction it could go. Take away everything someone has to lose and they’ll act like they have nothing left to lose.