Four Democratic representatives embarked on a journey to El Salvador on Monday, advocating for a deported illegal immigrant who stands accused of domestic violence and affiliation with the notorious MS-13 gang.
The lawmakers, Reps. Robert Garcia of California, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Maxwell Frost of Florida, and Maxine Dexter of Oregon, have voiced their demand for the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.
This move is the most recent in a series of confrontations between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats, who have been vocal in their insistence that Abrego Garcia be readmitted into the country.
According to the Daily Caller, the representatives' trip follows a recent visit by Maryland Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who managed to meet with Abrego Garcia in person and has pledged to continue his fight for the Salvadoran national's return. Abrego Garcia, who unlawfully entered the U.S. in 2011, was among over 200 Venezuelan and Salvadoran nationals deported in March. He was sent to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a large-scale prison established by President Nayib Bukele to incarcerate his country's gang members and other serious offenders.
Abrego Garcia's deportation, despite a clerical error that should have prevented his repatriation to El Salvador, has been staunchly defended by the Trump administration due to his alleged gang affiliations and other purported criminal activities. After settling in Maryland, Abrego Garcia's legal troubles began in 2019 when he was arrested by the Prince Georges County Police Department. An informant credibly accused him of having ties to the MS-13 gang, leading to his transfer into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and subsequent deportation order by an immigration judge.
Despite the deportation order, Abrego Garcia successfully obtained a withholding of removal, which barred his repatriation to El Salvador and allowed him to work in the U.S. This benefit enabled him to remain in the country and gain employment until his arrest by ICE agents on March 15 and subsequent transfer to CECOT.
The Trump administration's admission that Abrego Garcias deportation was the result of an error has sparked significant backlash from Democrats, who have now made his removal a rallying point within their party. Van Hollen's visit to El Salvador earlier in April, which included meetings with the countrys vice president and Abrego Garcia himself, was followed by the four House Democrats' self-funded visit on Monday. Their trip was financed personally as House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer refused to approve the use of taxpayer dollars for their journey.
In response to the criticism, the Trump administration has taken steps to defend its position. The White House recently released a dossier detailing Abrego Garcias alleged gang affiliations, including the Prince Georges County Police interview, immigration court rulings, and the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) record highlighting his membership in MS-13. The dossier also contained statements from a law enforcement source identifying Abrego Garcias gang rank and nickname.
Furthermore, the DHS released a domestic violence restraining order previously sought by Abrego Garcias wife in 2021. Despite currently advocating for his return, Sura once claimed that her husband repeatedly became aggressive and injured her during their marriage, swearing in court documents that he once punched, scratched me on my left eye, leaving me bleeding, among other alleged assaults.
The Trump administration also hosted Patty Morin at the White House during Van Hollens visit to El Salvador. Morins daughter was raped and killed by an illegal immigrant in 2023 while she was hiking at a local Maryland trail. Morin a Maryland resident herself expressed grief that Van Hollen would go through so much effort to help an illegal migrant while never once offering to help search for her daughters killer or reaching out to her family.
The DHS confirmed to the Daily Caller that Abrego Garcia was stopped in December 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking. During a December 2022 traffic stop by a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer, the Salvadoran national was discovered to be transporting eight passengers across the U.S. He allegedly did not have a valid drivers license and was believed to be trafficking the passengers, but was let go at the request of the FBI.
The administration also highlighted distinctive tattoos on Abrego Garcias left hand, which they purport to mark affiliation with MS-13. He has a marijuana leaf, smiley face, cross and a skull tattooed across his fingers.
President Bukele has stated that he will not be returning Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. In court filings released Sunday, a State Department official said that he is no longer in CECOT, but now in a room of his own with a bed and furniture, and that he was not in a cell.
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