Four House Democrats announced Monday that they had arrived in El Salvador to try to see Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the deported MS-13 gang suspect who has become a rallying point for President Trump’s opponents.
Reps. Maxwell Frost of Florida, Robert Garcia of California, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona and Maxine Dexter of Oregon said they hoped to heap more pressure on Mr. Trump to un-deport Mr. Abrego Garcia.
Mr. Frost called Mr. Abrego Garcia “innocent” and decried the government’s “kidnapping.”
“Today it’s Kilmar, but tomorrow it could be anyone else. We cannot and will not let Donald Trump get away with this,” Mr. Frost said.
The Trump administration had initially admitted the deportation was an error, but has since said it was justified and if he were returned to the U.S. as Democrats ask, he would immediately be deported again.
A federal judge in Maryland, backed by a circuit appeals court and the Supreme Court, has ordered the U.S. to “facilitate” Mr. Abrego Garcia’s return.
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But El Salvador has indicated it won’t turn him over, saying he is a Salvadoran citizen now being detained by that country.
Mr. Abrego Garcia’s lawyers say the U.S. should at least ask El Salvador to turn him over.
The Democrats had asked for taxpayers to foot the bill for their trip but that request was denied by Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee.
Their journey follows that of Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat, who went to El Salvador last week and after a day and a half managed to get a meeting with Mr. Abrego Garcia, who was brought to the senator’s hotel for a sit-down.
Mr. Abrego Garcia said he was no longer being held in El Salvador’s terrorism prison but in a less intense facility.
