Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen Travels to El Salvador for Inmate’s Case

Maryland’s Democratic Senator, Chris Van Hollen, is set to travel to El Salvador to address the concerning circumstances of Kilmar Ábrego García, a constituent who has faced deportation and imprisonment in Central America, potentially igniting a constitutional crisis in the United States, as Van Hollen warns.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Senator Van Hollen revealed his intentions to ascertain García’s condition and relay updates to his family, also residing in Maryland, his home state which he has represented since 2017.

Despite acknowledging that García is detained at El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), the US State Department and the US Supreme Court have previously ruled in favor of facilitating García’s return to the States. However, the current administration –
under President Trump – has chosen not to honor this directive.

“Should the Trump administration persist in ignoring federal court rulings in this case, it will evidently precipitate a constitutional crisis,” as Senator Van Hollen pointed out in recent discussions.

The controversy has also reached the judicial sphere, with Federal Judge Paula Xinis criticizing the Department of Justice for non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision and has ordered the government to provide details of their efforts to repatriate García within two weeks.

Van Hollen’s mission may face challenges, as the El Salvadorian government has yet to formally acknowledge his request to visit García at Cecot, where human rights groups have raised alarms regarding potential abuses and poor conditions.

“We have requested permission from the Salvadoran authorities to discuss García’s situation and conduct a visit. We hope they will allow us access so we can inform his family in Maryland about his welfare,” Senator Van Hollen expressed, emphasizing García’s rights and the family’s distress over the wrongful detention.

This case has broader implications amid Trump’s aggressive stance on immigration and deportation policies, which have been contentious within the judicial system. Senator Van Hollen decried that the administration’s refusal to abide by a Supreme Court order marks a concerning cross in the relationship between the legislative and judicial branches of government.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/15/chris-van-hollen-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia