Rep. Henry Curlar, a moderate Democrat representing the border area, criticized members of his party for focusing on the case involving Kilmar Abreg Garcia, who Maryland residents mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month.
In an interview with the news agency on Wednesday, Cuellar acknowledged the “due process issue” in the Abrego Garcia case, but said there are more pressing issues that hope Democrats focus on Democrats.
Cuellar also recognizes that some Democrats have been talking about border security, but he suggests that he let him disagree and let Democrats push Abrego Garcia to return to the United States.
“We’ve been talking about strong border security for so many years, and now, there are some Democrats talking about the border,” Cuellar said.
He continued: “But, with all the respect you deserve, when you talk about bringing someone – and I know there are proper procedural issues – that’s in Maryland, now El Salvador. I don’t know that’s the right issue that the Democrats should focus on right now.”
He said Democrats should focus on “strong border security” and “the cost of living, what tariffs do to consumers, what happens to the stock market.”
“Those are things people want to talk about in my area,” Cuellar said, adding that when he travels in his area, “very few people would come up with that person from Maryland because they want to talk about other things. ”
The interview was due to party developments in handling cases, as some Democrats began to doubt whether the explosive problem was a winning strategy as Republicans continued to attack.
Four House progressives arrived in El Salvador on Monday to push Abreg Garcia to return to the United States after Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md). The organization regards this effort as a threat to fundamental constitutional rights.
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) said after returning from El Salvador: “It’s about due process; it’s about making sure we comply with the laws of the country.”
Cuellar talked about the trip in an interview Wednesday.
“I know some of my colleagues… They’re going there, you know, they’re trying to bring back individuals. Is this a topic we should talk about?” Kurera said.