On Sunday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, clarified that his recent visit to El Salvador was not aimed at defending Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was deported despite a court order, but rather about upholding the Constitution. In an interview with ABC News' “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl, Van Hollen stated, “I am not defending the man. I'm defending the rights of this man to due process.”
Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in March 2023, despite a 2019 court order that prohibited his removal due to concerns over his safety. The Trump administration had claimed that he was affiliated with the MS-13 gang, an allegation that both his family and legal representatives vehemently deny. Abrego Garcia fled gang threats in El Salvador in 2011 and has since married a U.S. citizen, becoming a father to a 5-year-old son with autism.
On March 12, 2023, Abrego Garcia was apprehended by ICE in Maryland and subsequently transferred to a detention center in Texas before being deported. The Trump administration later characterized his deportation as an “administrative error.” He remains under a final order of removal.
During his visit to El Salvador, Van Hollen sought answers regarding Abrego Garcia's detention and safety. He noted that the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, seemed to recognize the negative implications of having a deportee from Maryland in one of the country’s notorious prisons. Van Hollen recounted, “I think, at some point, the president of El Salvador realized it was looking really bad to have this person who had been absconded from the streets of Maryland in one of their prisons and not able to communicate.”
Initially denied access to the CECOT prison, where Abrego Garcia was held, Van Hollen was preparing to leave when he was informed that Abrego Garcia would be brought to him. Their meeting offered insight into the trauma Abrego Garcia experienced during his abduction and subsequent detention.
During their meeting, Abrego Garcia conveyed the deep trauma he faced, particularly mentioning his son, who was present during his arrest. Van Hollen criticized the actions of Bukele’s government, stating that it was “complicit in this illegal scheme with the Trump administration,” and labeled the lack of communication with Abrego Garcia as a violation of international law. “The family hadn’t heard from him. Nobody had any contact for weeks,” he said.
Van Hollen also addressed concerns regarding the optics of the meeting, where Salvadoran authorities reportedly attempted to stage the encounter at a hotel pool, suggesting a misleading portrayal of the situation. “They wanted to make it look like he was in paradise,” Van Hollen remarked.
Van Hollen emphasized the broader implications for presidential power, stating, “This is a person who the United States courts have determined was illegally taken from the United States.” He underscored the importance of upholding the rule of law and due process, asserting that the actions of both Bukele and Trump were designed to mislead the public regarding the case.
Responding to criticisms from Republicans, who allege that Democrats are defending a gang member, Van Hollen firmly pushed back. “The idea that you can't defend people's rights under the Constitution and fight MS-13 and gang violence is a very dangerous idea,” he stated. He concluded by asserting that anyone unwilling to defend the constitutional rights of one person is unfit to lead.
