HAMILTON, Canada/ISTANBUL

The United States deported 17 violent criminals affiliated with transnational gangs in a joint counter-terrorism operation with El Salvador, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday.

"Last night, in a successful counter-terrorism operation with our allies in El Salvador, the United States military transferred a group of 17 violent criminals from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 organizations, including murderers and rapists," Rubio said in a statement.

“These criminals will no longer terrorize our communities and citizens,” Rubio added, praising the decision to remove them from US soil.

The operation came as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to clamp down on what it has designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Both MS-13, which originated in El Salvador, and Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based gang, were designated as terrorist groups by President Donald Trump in recent months.

Rubio also commended El Salvador’s leadership for its collaboration.

“Once again, we extend our gratitude to President Nayib Bukele and the government of El Salvador for their unparalleled partnership in making our countries safe against transnational crime and terrorism,” he said.

Separately, Department of Defense Chief of Staff Joseph Kasper said Monday that the Pentagon completed a "successful counterterrorism" mission this weekend in partnership with El Salvador.

Kasper did not mention what kind of operation the department carried out.

"We commend the actions of our military personnel to degrade Foreign Terrorist Organizations under the leadership of President Trump," he said in the statement.

In March, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act -- a rarely used wartime authority -- to expedite the deportation of individuals linked to designated terrorist organizations. The move marked an aggressive shift in immigration and national security policy, allowing for swift removals without the standard legal process.

Under this policy, the US has transferred detained MS-13 and Tren de Aragua members to high-security prisons in El Salvador.

During a recent official visit, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem toured the facilities, sharing images of gang-affiliated detainees behind iron bars. She emphasized the administration’s commitment to removing foreign criminals from the United States, framing the effort as a central pillar of Trump’s national security agenda.

*Diyar Guldogan from Washington, DC contributed to this report.