Senator Chris Van Hollen Will Travel To El Salvador
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is making headlines after announcing his plans to travel to El Salvador to intervene in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported Salvadoran national accused by the Trump administration of being affiliated with the violent MS-13 gang.
The senator’s move underscores growing tensions between branches of the U.S. government, federal courts, and international partners over the handling of deportation cases tied to national security.
Garcia, who illegally entered the U.S. but received protection from removal in 2019, was detained in March and deported to El Salvador, where he is currently imprisoned in the country’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center.
Van Hollen alleges Garcia’s deportation was unlawful and refers to it as an “abduction.” In response to what he views as a human rights concern, Van Hollen is now preparing to travel abroad to check on Garcia’s wellbeing and hold discussions with Salvadoran officials regarding his release.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that while the government must “facilitate” Garcia’s return, it does not have to “effectuate” it, leaving legal and diplomatic discretion intact. The court did not demand El Salvador’s cooperation, nor did it strip the executive branch of its authority in matters of immigration enforcement.
President Nayib Bukele has firmly rejected the idea of releasing Garcia, stating, “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?” He emphasized his inability—and refusal—to override his country's counterterrorism policies to comply with a foreign court order. His remarks reaffirm national sovereignty and highlight the legal limitations of U.S. courts abroad.
White House officials, including aide Stephen Miller, have maintained that the deportation was lawful and justified under the Trump administration's designation of MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization. They argue the previous court protections Garcia received are no longer applicable under current security protocols.
The announcement of Van Hollen’s trip has sparked criticism from Republican officials. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the senator’s actions, citing misplaced priorities. She referenced the recent conviction of another Salvadoran national, Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, in the murder of Maryland mother Rachel Morin.
Leavitt emphasized that while American families grieve, Senate Democrats appear more focused on defending foreign nationals accused of violent crimes than on protecting their own constituents.
Van Hollen responded to the verdict in the Morin case by calling for immigration reform and enhanced border security. However, his commitment to Garcia’s case suggests a broader Democratic effort to redefine immigration policy through high-profile legal interventions—even when they clash with foreign governments and executive authority.