Dem Senator meets with Abrego Garcia; El Salvador says inmate will remain in custody

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland made a trip to El Salvador this week with the main goal of meeting with deported illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly sent to the El Salvadoran megaprison “Terrorism Confinement Center” (CECOT) last month. Despite being denied entry multiple times, Van Hollen was finally granted his request on Thursday night.

Upon meeting with Abrego Garcia, Van Hollen conveyed his message of love to Kilmar’s wife, Jennifer, and promised to provide a full update upon his return. The 29-year-old illegal immigrant from Maryland was deported in an administrative error, but top Trump officials now claim he is a member of the MS-13 gang. Both a federal court and the Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings.

Van Hollen’s visit to El Salvador was not without obstacles. Initially, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele was out of the country, so the senator met with Vice President Félix Augusto Antonio Ulloa Garay instead. Despite expressing his desire to meet with Abrego Garcia, Van Hollen was informed that he needed to make earlier provisions to visit CECOT, which he declined as he was solely interested in checking on Kilmar’s well-being.

After continued efforts, Van Hollen was eventually granted entry to CECOT and met with Abrego Garcia. Images of the two men sitting at a table in the tropics were shared, showing them shaking hands and enjoying water and coffee. President Bukele also posted about the meeting, highlighting Abrego Garcia’s well-being and confirming that he would remain in El Salvador’s custody.

In a separate development, a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration’s emergency request to block a judge’s order requiring Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. The court rejected the Department of Justice’s request, emphasizing that it would not interfere with the district judge’s efforts to carry out the Supreme Court’s decision.

The court’s decision came after the Department of Homeland Security released information indicating that Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, had filed written domestic violence allegations against him in 2021. Vasquez accused Abrego Garcia of repeated abuse, stating that she was afraid to be close to him due to his violent behavior.

Furthermore, documents released by the Department of Homeland Security suggested that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, which has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration. Despite these allegations, the court’s decision stands, and efforts to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. continue.

Overall, Senator Van Hollen’s trip to El Salvador shed light on the complex situation surrounding Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation and subsequent legal battles. The senator’s persistence in meeting with Abrego Garcia underscores the importance of ensuring due process and upholding human rights in immigration cases.