A recent trip to El Salvador by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. His visit highlights the ongoing diplomatic friction caused by the deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García. The Trump administration acknowledged that an “administrative error” led to Ábrego García’s deportation. This happened even though an immigration judge granted him protection status in 2019. This circumstance turned acute after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration must help effect his return.
In mid-September 2023, just as the hearings were about to conclude, federal authorities deported Ábrego García back to El Salvador. Today, he is detained at the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot). U.S. authorities have said he is one of more than 100,000 deported under orders from former President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court found in favor of Almeida, but the Trump administration failed to reinstate his legal status in the United States. They did nothing on the issue.
On his recent visit, Senator Van Hollen attempted to meet with Ábrego García and was met with serious impediments. His visit included a meeting with El Salvador’s new Vice-President, Félix Ulloa. Ulloa said that a face-to-face meeting with Ábrego García, either in the U.S. or in Mexico, was not feasible. Sen. Van Hollen was furious over the whole mess.
“I said, I’m not interested at this moment in taking a tour of Cecot, I just want to meet with Mr. Ábrego García. He said he was not able to make that happen.” – Chris Van Hollen
At one point, the senator asked Ulloa if he would agree to free Ábrego García. Ulloa did not grant the request, explaining that he would not “smuggle” Ábrego García back into the United States. Further, it appears that Ábrego García’s family has not been allowed to speak with him by phone since his detention.
Despite this, both the Trump administration and El Salvador’s current administration have denied help in bringing Ábrego García home. This decision has led to criticism from multiple sources. Van Hollen condemned the entire affair as “unconscionable,” claiming that false information about Ábrego García’s status continues to circulate.
“We have an unjust situation here. The Trump administration is lying about Ábrego García,” – Chris Van Hollen
The senator emphasized his commitment to advocating for Ábrego García and similar cases, asserting that multiple members of Congress would be involved in addressing these issues moving forward.
“I can assure the president, the vice-president, that I may be the first United States senator to visit El Salvador on this issue, but there will be more and there will be more members of Congress coming,” – Chris Van Hollen
Despite his efforts, Ulloa could not guarantee that a subsequent visit would yield any new developments concerning Ábrego García’s case. Van Hollen had volunteered to come back next week, but left without any commitments that he could be allowed to come back.
In fact, the furor surrounding Ábrego García’s deportation won’t wither away. To be sure, Wong raises troubling questions about the impact of U.S. immigration policy on individuals with protected status. Advocates and critics alike have called this latest episode an example of having failed to respect judicial rulings. They hope it will show a flagrant contempt for deportees’ civil rights.
Tom Homan, the former Trump administration official who ran the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration enforcement, slammed Van Hollen’s participation. He argued that this pinpoint attention takes resources away from combatting crime across Maryland.
“Rather than taking care of the constituents in his state, the victims of illegal crime in his state, he’s going to run to El Salvador to protect an MS-13 terrorist. It’s just disgusting.” – Tom Homan