In a recent development, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen was denied access to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged member of the infamous MS-13 gang, at the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador.
The senator had embarked on a mission to secure the release of Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant, which has sparked a wave of controversy.
According to The New York Post, the 66-year-old senator from Maryland met with El Salvador's Vice President, Flix Ulloa, and made a public appeal for Abrego Garcia's release. Van Hollen expressed his commitment to securing Abrego Garcia's freedom, stating, "I promised them [Abrego Garcias family] that I would do everything I could to get him out." He further emphasized his determination, adding, "I wont stop trying. This is an unsustainable and unjust moment. So it cannot continue this way."
However, Van Hollen's advocacy for Abrego Garcia has been met with criticism, particularly in light of recent revelations that Abrego Garcia's wife sought a domestic violence restraining order against him in 2021. She alleged that he had physically assaulted her, tearing her shirt, punching, and scratching her.
The Trump administration has questioned Van Hollen's priorities, pointing out that his own constituents are grappling with the repercussions of migrant crime. In a statement, the administration said, "The criminal illegal immigrant is already home hes a Salvadoran citizen where was his [Van Hollens] concern for Maryland constituents put at risk by the many other illegal immigrants allowed to roam free until now?"
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticized Van Hollen for prioritizing advocacy for Abrego Garcia over the concerns of his constituents affected by illegal immigrants. She stated, "Its appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incapable of having any shred of common sense or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens."
Leavitt then introduced Patty Morin, a mother whose daughter, Rachel, was brutally raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023. Morin expressed her disappointment in Van Hollen, lamenting, "To have a senator from Maryland who didnt even acknowledge or barely acknowledged my daughter and the brutal death that she endured, leaving her five children without a mother to use my tax money to fly to El Salvador to bring back a person I just dont understand this."
Despite these criticisms, Van Hollen has maintained his stance, arguing that Abrego Garcia is legally in the United States. He stated, "A US federal court judge said that the Trump administration did not have evidence to support the claim that he had ever been part of MS-13 In fact, Mr. Abrego Garcia is legally in the United States."
However, court documents reveal that Abrego Garcia entered the US illegally in 2011. In 2019, a federal judge prevented his deportation to El Salvador due to concerns about potential persecution from gangs like Barrio 18.
Van Hollen further accused the Trump administration of lying about Abrego Garcia's alleged criminal affiliations, stating, "I want to emphasize that President Trump and our Attorney General Pam Bondi and the vice president of the United States are lying when they say that Abrego Garcia has been charged with a crime or is part of MS-13 That is a lie."
Contrary to Van Hollen's claims, the Trump administration has asserted that Abrego Garcia is a high-ranking member of the MS-13 gang, a claim his family disputes. The Justice Department recently released police reports indicating that Abrego Garcia was an active MS-13 member at the time of his initial detention in March 2019.
In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court instructed the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia's release from custody in El Salvador. However, the administration has declined to pressure El Salvador to release Abrego Garcia, insisting that they are complying with the Supreme Courts ruling by taking steps to facilitate his return if El Salvador ever releases him.
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who recently visited the White House, dismissed the idea of sending Abrego Garcia back to the US. He stated, "I hope you are not suggesting that I smuggle terrorists into the United States Of course, Im not going to do it The question is preposterous I dont have the power to return him to the United States."
The Trump administration has echoed Bukele's sentiments, arguing that they lack the power to bring Abrego Garcia back as he is an El Salvadoran national imprisoned in his home country. This ongoing controversy underscores the complex and contentious nature of immigration policy and its intersection with criminal justice.
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