Van Hollen visits El Salvador to check for errors

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) said he traveled to El Salvador on Wednesday to check the status of the deported law residents.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia made headlines after being removed from office by the Trump administration for “administrative error” and was detained at the country’s notorious CECOT highest security prison.

“After kidnapping and illegal deportation, the U.S. federal court ordered the safe return of my constituent Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States,” Van Hollen said in a statement on Tuesday.

He added: “Ensure his safe release is a priority for the U.S. government and that’s why I’m traveling to El Salvador tomorrow.”

White House officials claim Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, a member he and his wife have denied. He lived in the United States for more than 10 years after fleeing El Salvador due to threats of violence and persecution.

An immigration court granted him permission because of his concerns about turmoil in his home country.

“I hope to visit Kilmar and check his well-being and have a constructive conversation with government officials as he releases. We must urgently continue our efforts to return Abrego Garcia to the safe return of Maryland,” Van Hollen said.

El Salvador President Nayib Buekele told reporters Monday that he would not return the Maryland man.

“Of course, I won’t do that,” he said at a meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office. “The question is ridiculous. How can I smuggle terrorists into the United States? I don’t have the authority to return him to the United States?”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said he had no chance to be released to the United States.

“Deporting him back to El Salvador will always be the end result. There will never be someone who lives a peaceful life in Maryland,” Levitt said in a press conference Tuesday.

“Because he is a foreign terrorist and a member of the MS-13 gang. We not only confirmed (Salvador) that (Nayib) Bukele (Nayib) Bukele (Nayib) yesterday, but also confirmed this,” Leavitt continued. “So he returned to his home country where he would face the consequences of his gang affiliation and engagement to human trafficking. I’m not sure everyone in the media can’t understand what the difficulties are.”

Her remarks contrast with the Supreme Court’s order to rule a lower court order that put the Trump administration “promotes” Abrego Garcia’s return.

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