Collins alters Van Hollen’s office plaque over MS-13 deportation dispute

Rep. Mike Collins, a Republican lawmaker from Georgia, recently made headlines after claiming that he altered the name plaque outside the office of Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland. In a post on social media platform X, Collins shared a photo of the plaque outside Van Hollen’s office, which now incorrectly states that he represents El Salvador.

Collins has been vocal in his criticism of Van Hollen for his recent trip to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an accused MS-13 member and illegal immigrant. In a separate post on X, Collins went as far as calling Van Hollen “traitorous” for his actions.

The controversy surrounding Abrego Garcia’s deportation has sparked outrage among Democrats, who argue that he was a hard-working resident of Maryland whose rights were violated. Despite being issued a deportation order in 2019, Abrego Garcia remained in the U.S. unlawfully after entering illegally in 2011.

According to reports from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Abrego Garcia was identified as a member of the MS-13 gang by the Prince George’s County Police Gang Unit in 2019. He was also suspected of human trafficking after a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper encountered him in December 2022.

The trooper stopped Abrego Garcia for speeding and discovered eight individuals in the vehicle with no luggage. Abrego Garcia claimed they were traveling from Houston, Texas, to Maryland for construction work. However, the trooper suspected it was a human trafficking incident based on the circumstances.

In a separate development, President Donald Trump recently hosted Patty Morin, an Angel Mom whose daughter was killed by an illegal migrant from El Salvador in 2023. Morin claims that Van Hollen never reached out to her after her daughter’s tragic death.

The political divide on illegal immigration was further highlighted by a splitscreen image released by the White House, emphasizing the contrasting views of Republicans and Democrats on the issue.

As this story continues to unfold, it raises questions about the complexities of immigration policy and the responsibilities of lawmakers in addressing these challenges. Stay tuned for more updates on this ongoing controversy.

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