In a recent social media post, Representative Mike Collins, a Republican from Georgia, claimed responsibility for altering the name plaque outside the office of Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland.
The post, shared on the platform X, featured a photograph showing the plaque outside Van Hollen's office, now humorously indicating that he represents El Salvador. "Hey [Sen. Van Hollen], I went ahead and changed your office plaque for you," Collins quipped.
As reported by Fox News, Collins has been a vocal critic of Van Hollen's decision to travel to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, an individual accused of being an MS-13 gang member and an illegal immigrant. In another post on X, Collins did not mince words, labeling Van Hollen as "traitorous." He further expressed his disapproval when Van Hollen announced his trip, stating, "If youre going to advocate harder for illegal gang members than you do American citizens, dont come back."
The deportation of Abrego-Garcia has stirred controversy among Democrats, who argue that the El Salvadorian national was a diligent Maryland resident whose right to due process was overlooked. Despite these claims, Abrego-Garcia, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2011, had been living in the country in defiance of a deportation order issued in 2019. According to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Prince George's County Police Gang Unit identified him as a member of the notorious MS-13 gang in 2019. The HSI report also implicated Abrego-Garcia in human trafficking following an encounter with a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper in December 2022.
The HSI report detailed that on December 1, 2022, a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper stopped Abrego-Garcia for speeding and discovered eight individuals in his vehicle, yet no luggage. Abrego-Garcia claimed he had been driving from Houston, Texas, to Temple Hills, Maryland, for three days to facilitate construction work for the passengers. Notably, the individuals in the car provided the same address as Abrego-Garcia's residence, leading the trooper to suspect human trafficking.
In a related development, President Donald Trump recently welcomed Angel Mom Patty Morin, a Maryland resident, to the White House. Morin's daughter, Rachel, tragically fell victim to a brutal assault and murder in Maryland at the hands of an illegal migrant from El Salvador in 2023. Patty Morin has voiced her disappointment, stating that Van Hollen never reached out to her following her daughter's murder. Fox News Digital has sought comments from Rep. Collins' office regarding these events.
Login