In brief
Four Democratic representatives are in El Salvador advocating for the release of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported, as they confront the Trump administration's actions.
Four Democratic lawmakers are in El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported from the U.S. Representatives Robert Garcia of California, Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, and Maxine E. Dexter of Oregon arrived on Sunday, aiming to draw attention to the lack of action from the Trump administration following a Supreme Court ruling mandating Garcia's return.“While Donald Trump continues to ignore the Supreme Court, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being unlawfully detained in El Salvador after his wrongful deportation,” stated Representative Garcia. “We are here to remind the public that deporting immigrants without due process contradicts American values.”Their visit follows that of Senator Chris Van Hollen, who met with Abrego Garcia in El Salvador after enduring two days of governmental resistance. The man, originally from El Salvador, was living in Maryland with his family before being detained and sent back to El Salvador, alongside more than 200 others suspected of gang ties. A judge had previously ruled against his deportation, citing potential life-threatening dangers he would face upon return.After his deportation on March 15, a federal judge decreed his reinstatement to the United States, a decision upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court on April 10. The Trump administration initially acknowledged the mistake in Garcia's deportation but later claimed it was justified and that his current status is in the hands of President Nayib Bukele's government.Senator Van Hollen noted that Garcia has recently been transferred from a notorious prison to a detention facility in Santa Ana, El Salvador. The congressional delegation plans to meet with U.S. Embassy representatives and human rights organizations, aiming not only to secure Garcia's release but also to investigate the circumstances surrounding other individuals who have been similarly deported and detained in El Salvador.
