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Catherine Verber's avatar

How much is the US paying to send people to El Salvador? That is a fact that needs to be shared CONSTANTLY.

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Linda's avatar

I read $6M and, in another written source, $15M. These recent immigrants were flown in C-17 military cargo planes which cost approx $28,500 per hour to fly. It takes approx 10-13 hours to fly to El Salvador from the US (do not know the departure airport), twice as long as a commercial plane. This info was in El Paso Times quoting Reuters.

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Paul Schwartz's avatar

General aid - Nearly $6.6 million in assistance, including $2 million in International Disaster Assistance (IDA) humanitarian assistance for risk communication, water, sanitation, and hygiene; $2 million in Economic Support Funds (ESF) to address the second-order impacts of the pandemic in El Salvador through creating jobs and increasing access to credit, both critical factors in driving illegal immigration to the United States; and nearly $2.6 million in health assistance to address the pandemic.

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Ellen McKenzie's avatar

OMG. It’s a crime.

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Paul Schwartz's avatar

I heard $15 for the penal system

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Donna Israel's avatar

I beleive that was for one year.

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chev_chelios's avatar

and with supposedly more planned to be funded by the US with El Salvador in the future....hey muskrat you POS, how's all that waste and fraud going ? ....

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LAURA WIESLER's avatar

According to Sen. van Hollen, the funds agreed to between Trump and the other president is $15 Million. Paid to date is about $4 million. The question the Senator had was where the funds were coming from, as they were not in the continuing resolution and whatever agreement they have has not been made public and we don’t know what, if anything, is in writing.

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Donna Israel's avatar

True!

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Dee Joy's avatar

Trump couldn't care less about the cost of anything.

He's draining the USA daily. He's added trillions to the budget deficit.

He's happy to cut children's, vets and elderly resources and services but will spend $100 million on a bday parade for himself!

Like there's anything to celebrate! Everyone should be in mourning for all the irreparable damage he's done.

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olderwoman's avatar

And today, just today, Elon Musk shut down Americare. The program that forgives student debt for the recent grads doing volunteer work projects. AND Elon Musk shut down Head Start, government funded preschool used heavily by people of limited means. Just to make sure people of all ages suffer, meals on wheels for seniors, also cut.

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Dee Joy's avatar

Omg these billionaires are disgusting. USA is on fast track to become a third world country bc of them. I used to admire them, now I realise they're all evil and greedy and donot deserve wealth.

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WJB Motown's avatar

Hero's like Sen Van Hollen........Bernie and OAC.......are the Winston Churchill''s that will "fight in the streets, beaches and never surrender." Everyone now must take up this positive leadership energy. We have just begun to fight back.

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Donna Israel's avatar

Admired why, because they're rich?

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Dee Joy's avatar

I admired them bc they're smart to become so rich.

I assumed wealthy people donated most of their fortunes to benefit the vulnerable in society. Housing the homeless and feeding the hungry people and animals. I've always had my own wealth dreams of who I'd love to provide for. This year I discovered that most billionaires - dark MAGA, tech bros, heritage foundation, project 2025, Christian nationalists etc are actually evil with evil intentions who hide behind Christianity. All they seem to care about is robbing vulnerable people in any way they can.

Trump regime wants the wealthy ruling class, then their fit slaves to do all their work and the rest of us that cannot serve them due to age, disability or racism - they want to send us all to concentration camps to die. Wtf?? Who thinks like this?? Pure evil that's who thinks like that. It's hard to imagine this kind of evil exists and is trying to take over the world. It's horrific

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Donna Israel's avatar

Key word "assumed." You must know about assume: ass u me!

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Donna Rerecich's avatar

Now NPR & PBS is being attacked.

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WJB Motown's avatar

Making the population stupid....destroying education and re-writing history is the foundation for a fascist\nazi\Trumpian'\MAGA hellscape of existance. David Brooks....a conservative...is calling for mass protests.....boycotts.........now.

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Vel Santic's avatar

Have signed hundreds of petitions against tRumputinist destruction of NPR & PBS a day, since jan. 20ieth 2025 ongoing..

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Pat Robinson's avatar

Not just trump but the entire Republican Congess. They are equally responsible, maybe even more so since they have the power to stop this but choose instead to support whatever trump and musk tell them to do. They are not concerned with waste, but only with pleasing trump and we need to somehow get their constituents to hold them accountable. I know there are many many swing districts where voters can and hopefully will make a difference. I live in Missouri and my MOCs are more trumpish than even trump...all they care about is a pat on the head from trump and they know they will never be voted out so I concentrate on helping in other districts where there is a chance of making a change. I do call my MOCs almost every day but know it has no impact.

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Mary Frances's avatar

I am also in "red, red, red Missouri" and utterly disgusted by Hawley, Schmitt, and all the others. They are unresponsive to my multiple communications (calls, email, etc). I was a R back in the Reagan era, and for many years after that, but they have lost me completely. I recall Claire McCaskill succeeded as a Democratic Senator. Maybe we could bring someone like her back into office.

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Pat Robinson's avatar

I really like Lucas Kunce and don't know exactly why he did not do better. I do think that many democrat type folks have left the state since the days of McCaskill....it has become too backward a state to want to raise a family in and it has become so red that it does not seem possible to change anything. I think the education level in the state has decreased and the poverty level increased in the past several years and why would anyone want to move/stay here if they had other options (I do not have other options at this time due to long standing obligations and my personal values are that you honor commitments). Every now and then I get to talk to an actual person rather than have to leave a voice mail and if I get a response, it's a lie...like Oh we are not going to cut Medicaid or Medicare or Social Security, or Schmitt supports Ukraine. And to be honest it's probably best when I just have to leave a voice mail because I don't get carried away and basically call the person I'm talking to a liar. I'm not going to change anything by doing that but sometimes I just can't help myself!

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Donna Israel's avatar

When is our Bastille Day?

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Paul Schwartz's avatar

Did I hear 15M

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bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

I have heard six million but also fifteen million.

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Gina Prescott's avatar

I read T was paying $24,000 per prisoner per month. Much less than it costs to imprison a person in the US

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Dr Cannie Stark's avatar

Less likely to die in an Amerucan prison though. That seems not to be taken into consideration.

The cost per month, even in El Salvador, is OUTRAGEOUS! Where is all that money going? Not to the prison workers I assume?

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Black Raven's avatar

15 million! It is outrages, and not to mention, CRIMINAL.

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Ren's avatar

It's approximately $20k/detainee per year, with about $4mil already on the books out of an original $6mil deal, which has just been enlarged to $15million. This should not be conflated with the Congressionally appropriated aid funds for their pandemic recovery. Also interesting to note that under Trump's first term, Congress appropriated approximately $411 million to El Salvador for them to address the "underlying drivers of migration."

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SFGal's avatar

So that's how Bukele affords his Armani wardrobe as "coolest dictator"

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Ren's avatar

Hit enter too soon: we have historically mucked up most of Central America, and especially El Salvador. They use the USD (and bitcoin) as legal tender. The "money to address migration" trend continued under Biden. This is a fairly good overview of relations/monetary policy: https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47083

However, no matter what the relationship monetarily between the two countries, we remain separate sovereignties and by no means should the US government be renditioning anyone to confinement in their prison system.

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Dorethea Powell's avatar

Millions of course and somehow they have received some it it without congressional approval.

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Donna Israel's avatar

Don't pay them, and they will empty the cells very quickly. You know, we have to pay rent!

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Dr Cannie Stark's avatar

And HOW they will "empty" those cells is the SCARY thought!

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Karen Thompson's avatar

Millions and millions of

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Michael deCamp's avatar

I think about $3 + million.

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Dr Cannie Stark's avatar

I heard each of them say $6 million, but they didn't say what for in that press conference. Of course tomorrow it could be $120 million ...

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Ermila Garza's avatar

If all prisons were private, I'm sure Abrego Garcia would be returned.

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Brian Wilson's avatar

Andrew Tate? No problem. Abrego Garcia? Biiig problem. Make it make sense.

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Blue Moon Pie's avatar

Here’s how it makes sense. Trump and everyone helping him are bad people doing bad things. He’s trying to turn America into a mafia state, like Russia.

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Vel Santic's avatar

Bingo!!

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Ed Garland's avatar

@ Brian Wilson ... You are right. Since the orange predator pervert is in office, he favors others who are exactly like him--filthy, corrupt, evil, and predatory. Tate and his brother are dirtbags, and so is his newfound benefactor. #Sugardaddy Chronicles

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bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

Tate is a misogynistic creepy who believes womrn exist to be exploited, as does Trump.

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Jeannine Johnson's avatar

Color of his skin. Yes I went there.

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Bill Reitz's avatar

I have noticed the disinfo attacka Kilmar personally attempting to assinate his character and completely avoids the violation of his personal rights and liberty. This is being done so people will look at the shiny thing and not the violation of OUR rights.

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deb hoch's avatar

I cannot wait for the defamation lawsuits.

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Ellen McKenzie's avatar

And the same thing happened with George Floyd, though there was ultimately a murder conviction. Character assassination in order to justify bad, unlawful behavior.

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Donna Israel's avatar

Bless George Floyd! Not only the U.S. but the WHOLE world saw "THE MURDER!"

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Debbie Sesso's avatar

What about all of the others too? 90% had no criminal records and we just sent them to a foreign prison ??

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Ellen McKenzie's avatar

I agree. Bring them all back for a hearing. Now.

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Dorothy's avatar

I believe 75% had no criminal records (unless those stats changed).

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olderwoman's avatar

That is what makes me so irate Dorothy. Of course we focus on Kilmar as he had a non removal to El Salvador order, but what about all the other ones?

I do NOT see how an ICE agent is judge and jury on who is a gang member and who isn't and that ICE agent determines a persons fate for the rest of their lives.

ICE is not Judge and Jury but that is what they are acting like.

"WE ICE agents" decide who goes to prison for the rest of their lives, or as long as the USA keeps paying the bills to house them, WE decide your fate. No evidence necessary, we just kinda and sense who is a gang member and off you go to prison.

I know I would feel differently if they were not sent to prison in El Salvador, if the plane landed and they just walked down the lane stairs into another country. But the fact that they are taken directly into prison, that is the injustice. Everyone, even the guilty, deserve to be heard in court and be able to challenge the evidence against them. The no Due Process with such dire consequences, I can't believe my country, the United States of America is doing this. I just can't believe it.

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Dee Joy's avatar

The ICE Gestapo needs to know that following illegal orders is illegal!! Don't do it or you'll go to prison - the courts should make this very clear.

Just like the police brutality from MTG town hall in Acworth. 10 police attacked protestors with tasers for free speech!! Police need to remember who pays their wages and who has free speech. These wealthy politicians theyre over protecting are criminals and they don't pay your wages - the people do!!

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Dorothy's avatar

I absolutely agree. If they can do this to immigrants whether undocumented or not, they can do this to any of us. Trump and his regime are violating the Constitution every day while the Repubs in Congress fiddle their thumbs, cowards that they are! If we have an election in 2026, I hope every, single Repub is booted out! My fear is, we are not going to make it 2 more months, let alone 2 more years. I fear for us all. I'm glad my WW2 dad and mom are not here to see what is happening.

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Debbie Sesso's avatar

We are paying a foreign dictator to house people in a prison that have not been tried and convicted of anything.

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Dorothy's avatar

Thanks for sharing that article.

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Matthew Ford's avatar

Reports have varied, the "60 Minutes" story reported 75%, but a report from Bloomberg said 90%.

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olderwoman's avatar

90% ?

90% of the Venezuelans have NO US Criminal Record?

None?

Yet an ICE agent and his supervisor ALONE decided these men should be locked away in a foreign goulag?

No Justice No Peace!

No Justice, No Peace!

No Justice No Peace!

Protest the hell TODAY Saturday.

Hit the streets, Protest, Protest, Protest!

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Ingrid's avatar

ALL these deported has been done illegally and without due process. Yes I care about Mr. Garcia's unconstitutional deportation. But what about the others being swept under the rug? Bring them all back. If need be pay El Salvador to release them. Trump's such a freaking great negotiator? He's an asshole king.

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Ren's avatar

Congress has been appropriating huge sums to El Salvador, and the Northern Triangle as a whole, for years. I'm uncertain of the status of the most recent funding package, but threatening to pause it/future disbursements would certainly create a financial incentive. These funds have been in excess of $100mil/year, which makes the prisoner fee almost paltry in comparison. Perhaps Bukele prefers the pay-for-prisoner scheme because there are no strings attached regarding human rights and control of migration policies.

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Hlin's avatar

Yes, absolutely!! We should be fighting for every single one of them sent to El Salvador!

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Mikekernell@mindspring.com's avatar

Being kidnapped and put in chains and sent to foreign cages violates Amendment 13, prohibition of slavery.

Acessory to slavery:

El Slaveadoor.

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bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

Bukelestan.

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Richard Goutal's avatar

I hear you. But I see it more as a violation of the right of habeas corpus. (Article 1, Sec 9). The very fact that it "might" be impossible to get an American citizen out of prison and in front of a judge in an American Courthouse tells you that out of the country prisons are a blockade to the exercise of our rights and therefore should by outlawed by Congress, or possibly just clarified by SCOTUS.

There is also Amendment 8: No cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. But I think habeas corpus is fundamental and boy does the Garcia case make this obvious.

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Mikekernell@mindspring.com's avatar

I sort of see it in that if he gets deported somewhere under the law that simply deportation, but if he gets taken without any recourse as you mentioned, and then sent into chains and into cages, where he was not supposed to go, that is slavery.

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Dorothy's avatar

Yet Trump and his regime are ignoring all the court orders. This criminal regime should be arrested and tossed in jail for contempt of court and kept in jail until in compliance.

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Lawless's avatar

Thanks for presenting the facts. Always! Appreciate you guys. Protesting tomorrow!

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Breizhfan's avatar

Me too.

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Lawless's avatar

Go get 'em!😄

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Jose Negron's avatar

Miller gave the mist digusting press as always!

Can't wait for the day the regime pays for all the lawless they're doing to America.

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SteveInSoCal's avatar

The nerve of keyboards to put the "i" next to the "o" 😡

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Gunnar Jensen's avatar

Thank you! There is a ton of dis/mis information floating around here in our already, severely lacking in critical thinking locale of the San Joaquín Valley of central California (aka Calibama, Arkanfornia). Our local news/opinion source, The Fresno Bee’s online page is replete with idiotic Trumpcentric regurgitations that prove your point. Thanks again - glad to be a supporter.

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SteveInSoCal's avatar

SJV is the rural version of Orange County

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SFGal's avatar

I hear you over here in Solano County fringe Bay Area. So glad AOC-Bernie had such a great turnout in Folsom Tuesday night! At least we're midway between Sacramento and San Francisco close enough to big protest turnout, feeling hopeful in the crowds!

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Britta's avatar

this is great!! please do more like this

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Mark Macleod's avatar

Yes - we need fact sheets to cut through all the bs

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SFGal's avatar

I totally agree with you regarding the encapsulated pithy format!

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Barbara Fairfax's avatar

As I write this at 8:00 Eastern time Trump’s gang is doing this

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Patricia Johnson's avatar

Absolutely. 💯%‼️ Marco Rubio negotiated this agreement Feb 5th 2025. Initial spend is $15 million. 🤬🤬🤬

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Dorothy's avatar

Little Marco must pay for this, as does the rest of the regime!

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Ellen McKenzie's avatar

Marco is a toady.

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SFGal's avatar

That's the kindest thing can be said about him!

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STLFrances's avatar

Thank you for this succinct summary of this sorry situation.

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Blue Moon Pie's avatar

Ben, your clarity and strait talk is invaluable. Many, many thanks for all you are doing during this crucial time.

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Erin Flanagan's avatar

Invaluable tool to unite our voices. Power of the pen!

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Eileen Sparduti's avatar

Thanks, Ben. This is helpful. Between Stephen Miller’s unhinged meltdown on Fox and others in the regime saying he will never be allowed to live in the United States, posts have been filled with those talking points.

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