U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen said Thursday that he met Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to El Salvador by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Maryland Democrats posted an image with Abrego Garcia on social media platform X.
“I said the main goal of this trip [to El Salvador] It's about to meet Kilma. I have a chance tonight. I called his wife, Jennifer, to convey his love message. I look forward to providing a full update when I return,” Van Hollen wrote.
I said the main goal of this trip was to meet Kilma. I have a chance tonight. I called his wife, Jennifer, to convey his love message. I look forward to providing a full update when it comes to rewarding. pic.twitter.com/u9y2gzpxcb
Van Hollen said Thursday he tried to check Abrego Garcia's well-being and push for his release, the meeting took place hours after Van Hollen said he was denied access to the high security of the El Salvador prison.
Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said this week that they had no basis to send Abrego Garcia back, even if the Trump administration called his deportation wrong, the U.S. Supreme Court called on the administration to promote his reward.
Trump officials claimed that Abrego Garcia, a Salvador citizen living in Maryland, had ties to the MS-13 gang, but his lawyers said the U.S. government has provided no evidence and Abrego Garcia has never been charged with any crimes related to such activities.
Van Hollen's trip has become a partisan flashpoint in the United States as Democrats seized on Abrego Garcia's deportation because they're talking about Trump's ignoring the court's cruel consequences. Republicans criticized Democrats for defending him and believed his deportation was part of a bigger effort to reduce crime.
