Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
In a high-profile diplomatic moment, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) confirmed Thursday night that he met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration in March despite a 2019 court order barring his removal.
Van Hollen said the meeting, which took place under tight restrictions, was his primary goal in traveling to El Salvador. He also spoke with Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, to deliver a message of love from her husband.
“I look forward to providing a full update upon my return,” Van Hollen posted on X.
Garcia Still Held in El Salvador’s Custody
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele posted photos of the meeting and announced that Garcia will remain in custody, citing his “confirmed health” status. Bukele has refused requests to release or return Garcia, saying during a recent Oval Office meeting with President Trump that he lacks the power to do so unilaterally.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the U.S. would provide transportation if El Salvador permits Garcia’s release, framing the decision as entirely up to Bukele.
Trump Attacks Van Hollen
President Trump harshly criticized Van Hollen on Truth Social Friday morning, writing that the senator “looked like a fool yesterday standing in El Salvador begging for attention.”
In a Thursday night statement, the White House doubled down, calling Van Hollen’s actions “disgusting” and affirming Trump’s stance on deportations as support for “law-abiding Americans.”
Supreme Court and Appeals Court Back Garcia
The meeting comes amid an ongoing legal showdown. The Supreme Court ruled last week that the U.S. must facilitate Garcia’s return. A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration’s request to delay that requirement, stating that the government was asserting a right to “stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process.”
Van Hollen, who represents Garcia’s home state, has described the administration’s actions as a “cover-up” of its own misconduct.
Limited Access and International Tensions
Van Hollen attempted to visit Garcia in CECOT, El Salvador’s massive high-security terrorism prison, but said he was denied entry by soldiers stationed three kilometers from the facility. He was also blocked from facilitating a call between Garcia and his wife.
Despite these hurdles, Van Hollen eventually secured a meeting with Garcia after speaking with Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa and local embassy officials.
A Family’s Fight for Justice
Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, said Thursday that Van Hollen’s meeting gave her hope.
“My children and my prayers have been answered… because I now know that my husband is alive,” she said. “God is listening, and the community is standing strong.”
Maryland officials have sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding verifiable proof of Garcia’s health and safety. They noted that his family had received no meaningful confirmation for over a month.
U.S.-El Salvador Prison Deal Under Scrutiny
The deportation is part of a $6 million U.S. agreement with El Salvador, announced in February by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to detain undocumented immigrants of any nationality. Bukele praised the deal as a way to “outsource part of [America’s] prison system.”
Trump has since told Bukele he wants to expand the deportation pipeline and construct more prison facilities in El Salvador.
