A State Representative in Texas is asking Governor Abbott to take a page out of President Trump’s playbook and consider sending incarcerated undocumented immigrants to a mega prison in El Salvador.

Congressman David Lowe, a republican lawmaker out of North Texas wrote in a recent letter to Mr. Abbott saying that the nearly 6,000 people incarcerated in facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are in the country illegally.

“This overwhelming imbalance compels us to explore innovative and cost-saving alternatives,” Mr. Lowe said in the letter. “Fortunately, President Donald Trump has already provided a powerful solution.”

“I am formally requesting that the State of Texas evaluate the feasibility of contracting with the Government of El Salvador to transfer illegal alien inmates in TDCJ to the Centro de Confinamiento,” he added.

“This proposal could significantly alleviate the burden on Texas taxpayers and our correctional system, while still ensuring that justice is served.”

Officials in El Salvador recently offered use of CECOT, which was built in 2023 and can house up to 40,000 inmates, to house convicts from American jails for a “relatively low” fee.

“We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system. We are willing to take in only convicted criminals (including convicted U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee,” President Nayib Bukele of Salvador said in February.

Secretary of State Rubio welcomed the invitation.

“In an act of extraordinary friendship to our country El Salvador has agreed to the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world,” he said. “[They will] accept for deportation any illegal alien in the United States who is a criminal from any nationality, be they MS-13 or Tren de Aragua and house them in his jails.”

Mr. Trump has implemented deportations to CECOT and elsewhere, under the Alien Enemies Act, which his administration claims gives him the authority to deport individuals believed to be affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang without requiring a hearing before an immigration judge.

The families of numerous individuals deported to El Salvador have refuted assertions that they are members of the Venezuelan gang, arguing that the accusations are baseless.

On Wednesday, it was announced that the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI conducted a joint investigation that led to the arrest of 40 people believed to be members of Tren de Aragua.

“The FBI developed intelligence regarding a possible gathering of suspected TdA members or TdA associates in Hays Co,” reads a press release from Texas DPS officials.

As a result of this operation, more than 40 individuals, including minors, were taken into custody at or near the residence, and narcotics were seized.