Sen. Van Hollen Meets Deported Man in El Salvador

Sen. Van Hollen Meets Deported Man in El Salvador \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Sen. Chris Van Hollen met Thursday with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man deported to El Salvador despite a court order halting his removal. The Biden administration seeks to reverse the deportation, while the Trump administration insists it was justified. The case has become a partisan flashpoint, raising concerns about due process and international law.

Quick Looks

• Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador on Thursday.
• He met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported in March.
• Deportation occurred despite a court order blocking it.
• Trump administration defends deportation, citing gang affiliations.
• No criminal charges have been filed against Abrego Garcia.
• El Salvador’s president confirmed he remains in custody.
• Van Hollen says Garcia has had no contact with lawyers or family.
• Salvadoran officials denied Van Hollen entry to the prison earlier.
• The Biden administration supports Abrego Garcia’s return.
• The case has sparked sharp partisan divide in Washington.

Deep Look

In a dramatic turn in a growing political and human rights dispute, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland met Thursday with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man deported to El Salvador in March despite a U.S. immigration court order blocking his removal.

The meeting, shared publicly by Van Hollen on X (formerly Twitter), took place just hours after the senator was denied entry to a high-security prison where Abrego Garcia is being held — a move Van Hollen called a direct challenge to transparency and due process.

“I also called his wife to pass along his message of love,” Van Hollen wrote in his post, though he offered no immediate update on Abrego Garcia’s legal or physical status. The senator promised more details would follow Friday.

El Salvador’s Response and Political Messaging

Moments before Van Hollen’s post, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele released images of the meeting, declaring Abrego Garcia “healthy” and affirming he would remain in El Salvador’s custody. The president ended the message with a handshake emoji flanked by the U.S. and Salvadoran flags, implying cooperation between the two governments.

But for Van Hollen and his Democratic allies, the meeting represented a defiance of constitutional and humanitarian obligations. Earlier in the day, his vehicle was turned away by soldiers just 3 kilometers from the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) where Abrego Garcia is incarcerated. Other vehicles were allowed through, according to Van Hollen.

“They stopped us because they are under orders not to allow us to proceed,” the senator told reporters at a press conference in San Salvador.

A Case That Has Polarized U.S. Politics

Abrego Garcia’s deportation has ignited a bitter partisan clash in the U.S., with Democrats condemning the deportation as illegal and a violation of court orders. Van Hollen’s visit has become a rallying point for lawmakers demanding accountability from the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump and Salvadoran officials have maintained that there is no basis for repatriation, even as the U.S. Supreme Court has urged the administration to comply with judicial directives. Trump’s team insists Abrego Garcia has ties to the MS-13 gang, but his attorneys say no such evidence has been presented, and the 34-year-old has never been charged with gang-related crimes.

Legal and Human Rights Concerns

Van Hollen raised alarms that Abrego Garcia has been cut off from contact with his family and legal representation, which may violate international human rights norms.

“There has been no ability to find out anything about his health and well-being,” he said. “We won’t give up until Kilmar has his due process rights respected.”

The senator also confirmed plans for more Democratic lawmakers to visit El Salvador, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and members of the House Progressive Caucus.

Republicans Back Trump’s Actions

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have expressed strong support for Trump’s immigration crackdown and criticized Democrats for defending someone they view as a potential threat.

Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) and Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) both toured the same prison in support of Trump’s policies, though neither mentioned Abrego Garcia by name.

“The facility houses the country’s most brutal criminals,” Moore posted online. Smith went further, claiming the prison now includes “illegal immigrants who committed violent acts against Americans.”

Wider Implications for Immigration Policy

Since March, El Salvador has accepted over 200 deportees from the U.S., many of whom Trump officials accuse of gang affiliation or violent crime. These individuals have been placed in CECOT, a maximum-security prison outside San Salvador central to Bukele’s anti-gang strategy.

While this approach has earned Bukele domestic popularity, human rights watchdogs have accused his government of employing torture and systemic mistreatment — charges El Salvador denies.

For now, Abrego Garcia’s fate remains uncertain, caught in a geopolitical standoff where U.S. constitutional law, international rights, and Trump-era immigration policies continue to collide.

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