'Homegrowns are next': Trump asks El Salvador's president to build prisons for US citizens

President Donald Trump told El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele to build more prisons to hold U.S. citizens.

The U.S. president declared his willingness last week to send Americans to a notorious prison where his administration has sent alleged gang members – as well as a Maryland man who was deported by mistake – and he was caught on video urging Bukele to get ready for "homegrown criminals" to join them behind bars.

"Homegrown criminals are next," Trump told Bukele. "I said homegrowns are next, homegrowns are next. You've got to build about five more places. It's not big enough."

The president has cut a deal with Bukele to send the suspected gang members who were deported from the U.S., and he told reporters April 6 on Air Force One that he was receptive to an invitation to send additional detainees there – including American citizens.

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"I love that," Trump said. "If we could take some of our 20 time wise guys that push people into subways and hit people over the back of the head and purposely run people over in cars, if he would take them, I would be honored to give them."

“I don't know what the law says on that," he added. "I'm all for it. If they can house these horrible criminals for a lot less money than it costs us, I’m all for it.”

He was asked during his Oval Office meeting whether he would consider deporting U.S. citizens, and Trump stated that he would.

"If they are criminals and hit people with baseball bats, if they rape 87 year old women, yeah," he said. "Yeah, that includes them. I'm all for it."