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April 17, 2025 | 02:01 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen arrived in El Salvador on Wednesday. According to Arab News, his visit aims to advocate for the release of a migrant who was mistakenly deported to the Central American country due to the strict anti-immigrant policies of former President Donald Trump.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains in detention in El Salvador, despite a U.S. federal court order, upheld by the Supreme Court, mandating his return to the United States.
Upon arriving in San Salvador, Senator Van Hollen expressed his intention to meet with high-ranking government officials and potentially with Abrego Garcia, whom he described as having been "illegally kidnapped" and wrongfully deported.
"I told his wife and his family I would do everything possible to bring him home, and we’re going to keep working at this until we’re successful," said Van Hollen, who represents Maryland, Abrego Garcia's home state, in a video.
Van Hollen said before departing that he wants to show the Trump administration and El Salvador that supporters of Abrego Garcia will not give up in the campaign for his return.
A lawful US resident, Abrego Garcia is protected by a 2019 court order that determined he cannot be deported to El Salvador. However, he was still sent there about a month ago.
The Trump administration has acknowledged its mistake and has been ordered by the Supreme Court to "facilitate" the return of the 29-year-old man.
However, the government-pressed to take action to rectify its error in lower court proceedings-has not announced any efforts to bring Abrego Garcia back.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said during a visit to the White House on Monday that he did not have the authority to return Abrego Garcia to the United States. Trump told reporters that he did not have the authority to intervene, leaving Abrego Garcia in limbo.
Trump's critics have warned that his defiance of the judiciary has placed the country on the brink of a constitutional crisis.
“This is about due process. This is about rule of law. What bullies do is they begin by picking on the most vulnerable," said Van Hollen.
"But if we get rid of the rule of law and due process in the United States, it’s a short road from there to tyranny.”
The White House says it is complying with court decisions and claims, without providing evidence, that Abrego Garcia is a gang member. He denies the allegation and has not been charged with any crime in either the United States or El Salvador.
District Judge Paula Xinis stated that the case against him is based only on his "Chicago Bulls cap and hoodie, and vague, unfounded allegations from a secret informant" concerning alleged gang ties.
Republican Congressman from West Virginia Riley Moore posted on X on Tuesday that he has also traveled to El Salvador to see the jails where immigrants deported by the Trump administration are detained.
However, he declared his support for Trump's actions.
Another Democratic Senator, Cory Booker, is also considering a trip to the country but has not announced the timing.
Two Democratic members of the House of Representatives-Maxwell Alejandro Frost from Florida and Robert Garcia from California-are reportedly planning to visit.
Editor's Choice: El Salvador's President Refuses Repatriation of Deported Man from US
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