Sen. Van Hollen Travels to El Salvador to Address Deportation Error
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen has embarked on a trip to El Salvador to negotiate the return of Kimar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported during the Trump administration. Van Hollen, alongside other Democratic officials, is raising concerns about Abrego Garcia’s situation.
In a statement on social media, Van Hollen expressed, “Abrego Garcia was illegally abducted by the Trump Admin and, by their own admission, wrongly deported to El Salvador. He shouldn’t have to spend another second away from his family. I’m flying to El Salvador tomorrow morning to check on his condition and discuss his return.”
Despite a 2019 court order prohibiting his deportation, Abrego Garcia was removed last month and is currently held in El Salvador’s CECOT prison. This facility is notorious for detaining undocumented migrants indefinitely, with support from funding provided by the Trump administration, often without formal charges.
The White House described Abrego Garcia’s deportation as an “administrative error.” However, they claim they lack jurisdiction over the Salvadoran prison and assert he is affiliated with the MS-13 gang—a claim denied by his family and legal representatives, who insist there is no supporting evidence.
Abrego Garcia’s wife, speaking to ABC News, refuted these allegations, stating, “Everything they are saying is wrong. My husband is a loving father and what I know is that he’s an amazing husband, an amazing father. That’s who he truly is.”
On the same day, Florida Representative Maxwell Frost and California Representative Robert Garcia addressed a letter to the House Oversight Committee, advocating for a congressional visit to the El Salvador prison.
The letter highlights another case, that of Andy José Hernandez, a deported LGBTQ makeup artist facing threats to his safety. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently requested the Trump administration to arrange his return.
Newsom emphasized, “We are not a nation that sends people to be tortured and victimized in a foreign prison for public relations victories. I urge you to reevaluate your policies and ensure due process for everyone under the control of the U.S. judicial and law enforcement system, including those wrongly sent to El Salvador, as federal law requires.”
Following a Supreme Court decision on April 11, which upheld an order to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return, a district judge declared on April 15 that the Trump administration had failed to comply with this mandate.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker criticized President Trump, stating that his actions constitute defiance of a court order, potentially leading to a constitutional crisis.
Booker asserted, “The Supreme Court was clear: the Trump administration must act to facilitate the return of Kilmer Abrego Garcia to the United States. There is no room for debate — yet Trump is refusing, in defiance of a lawful court order.”
Similarly, Senator Andy Kim declared, “Trump choosing to not secure the return of Mr. Garcia to the United States blatantly ignores the rule of law and is an intentional decision to descend our nation into a constitutional crisis.”
In the upcoming days, Trump officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, are expected to testify regarding their non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s order. Miller has stated their intention to continue opposing Abrego Garcia’s return, anticipating further proceedings in the Supreme Court.
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