In a development that has sent shockwaves through both law enforcement and diplomatic circles, reports surfaced this weekend revealing that the United States government, under the Trump administration, struck a secret deal with El Salvador in March 2025—one that saw the handover of nine high-ranking MS-13 gang members, several of whom were acting as confidential U.S. informants. The arrangement, first detailed by The Washington Post and corroborated by multiple officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, has prompted urgent questions about the integrity of U.S. commitments to its protected witnesses and the future of transnational crime investigations.
According to The Washington Post, the deal was orchestrated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who promised Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele that Washington would terminate existing informant-protection agreements and return the gang leaders in exchange for two things: access to El Salvador’s notorious high-security prison and Bukele’s cooperation with a major U.S. mass-deportation initiative targeting migrants. The arrangement was reportedly finalized during a March 13 phone call between Rubio and Bukele, with Rubio subsequently instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to end the U.S. government’s relationship with the informants in order to push the deal through.
What makes this agreement particularly explosive is the revelation that some of the individuals handed over were not just detainees—they were active informants who had risked their lives to aid U.S. federal investigations into the leadership of MS-13, one of the world’s most violent criminal organizations. As one senior U.S. investigator warned in comments to The Washington Post, “If he were returned, the entire case could fall apart.” The fear, echoed by legal experts and Justice Department officials alike, is that the betrayal of these sources could cripple ongoing efforts to dismantle MS-13’s international operations and deter future cooperation from potential witnesses.
Douglas Farah, a consultant who assisted U.S. federal officials in their investigations into MS-13, did not mince words. Speaking to The Washington Post, he called the move “a deep betrayal of U.S. law enforcement, whose agents risked their lives to apprehend the gang members.” He added pointedly, “Who would ever trust the word of U.S. law enforcement or prosecutors again?”
Sources familiar with the negotiations told The Washington Post that the deal was part of a broader strategy to strengthen ties with Bukele’s government, which has faced sustained criticism from human rights organizations for its mass-arrest campaign and the conditions inside El Salvador’s prisons. In exchange for the U.S. concessions, Salvadoran officials reportedly sought the return of witnesses who held sensitive information about secret dealings between Bukele’s administration and MS-13. The optics of mass deportations and a tough-on-crime posture, it seems, were valued over longstanding commitments to protect those who assist U.S. authorities.
The fallout from the deal has been swift and severe. Justice Department officials, blindsided by the decision, expressed shock and dismay at the prospect of terminating informant-protection agreements—an unprecedented move that they say could unravel years of painstaking investigative work. One senior investigator, quoted by The Washington Post, warned that the handover could destroy active cases against MS-13, undermining both current prosecutions and broader efforts to combat the gang’s influence in the United States and abroad.
Legal experts cited by The Washington Post were similarly alarmed, suggesting that the damage to U.S. credibility could last for years. “Who would ever trust the word of U.S. law enforcement or prosecutors again?” one source asked, echoing Farah’s concerns. The sentiment was widely shared among officials and attorneys interviewed by the paper, most of whom requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the disclosures.
The impact of the White House’s close relationship with Bukele’s administration has also been felt within the State Department itself. As one former State Department official told The Washington Post, “No one is wanting to investigate anything related to El Salvador or Bukele, because the Bukele administration right now has a direct line to the White House. No one is touching that.” The chilling effect on morale and willingness to pursue cases related to El Salvador has reportedly been significant, with some officials questioning whether the U.S. can continue to play a credible role in combating international organized crime.
For the informants themselves, the consequences have been nothing short of dire. The nine MS-13 figures were transferred to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, a facility infamous for its brutal conditions. Inmates and advocates have described a litany of abuses inside CECOT, including beatings, sexual assault, and denial of life-saving medical care. According to The Washington Post, those turned over to Salvadoran authorities now face the very real possibility of torture or death—despite having previously placed their trust in the U.S. government’s promise of protection.
This episode has also brought renewed scrutiny to the broader U.S. strategy in Central America, particularly as it relates to migration and security cooperation. The Trump administration’s desire to secure Bukele’s cooperation on deportations was a key factor in the negotiations, but critics argue that the short-term political benefits pale in comparison to the long-term risks posed by undermining informant protections. The deal, they say, sets a dangerous precedent that could discourage future witnesses from coming forward, thereby weakening U.S. efforts to combat gangs and other transnational threats.
Salvadoran officials, for their part, have maintained that the return of the nine gang leaders was necessary to further their own investigations and maintain public order. However, human rights groups have warned that the move may be more about silencing witnesses who could implicate senior officials in illicit dealings with the gang than about justice or security. The true motivations behind the request remain the subject of speculation and debate.
As the dust settles, the ramifications of the March 2025 deal continue to reverberate through the highest levels of government in both countries. For U.S. law enforcement, the question now is how to rebuild trust with potential informants and partners in the wake of what many see as a profound breach of faith. For the individuals handed over, the future is far less certain—and for the broader fight against organized crime, the stakes have rarely felt higher.
The story of the secret MS-13 handover is a stark reminder of the complex, often fraught balance between security, diplomacy, and the ethical obligations that underpin international cooperation. Whether the U.S. can restore its reputation—and its effectiveness—remains to be seen.