Senator Chris Van Hollen has publicly detailed his meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, challenging El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele’s portrayal of the situation and highlighting the American citizen’s ordeal.
Speaking at a press conference with Abrego Garcia’s wife, Senator Van Hollen emphasized, “If you deny the constitutional rights of one man, you threaten the constitutional rights and due process for everyone else in America.”
Van Hollen recounted his meeting with Abrego Garcia, relaying his words to his wife, Jennifer: “First and foremost, that he missed her and his family,” a sentiment expressed with visible emotion. Abrego Garcia’s primary concern was for his family, as Van Hollen explained: “He said that thinking of you, members of his family, is what gave him the strength to persevere.” The senator also noted the presence of Abrego Garcia’s five-year-old son during the initial arrest in Maryland.
Senator Van Hollen then revealed new details about Abrego Garcia’s detention and deportation. Abrego Garcia described being taken to Baltimore, where his request for a phone call was denied. He was subsequently transferred to Texas and then transported to El Salvador “handcuffed, shackled, and put on a plane” with obscured windows. Upon arrival, he was imprisoned in the CECOT prison. Van Hollen conveyed Abrego Garcia’s distress: “He said he was not afraid of the other prisoners in his immediate cell but that he was traumatized by being at CECOT… He said he felt very sad about being in a prison because he had not committed any crimes.” Abrego Garcia’s immediate request was to speak with his wife.
Van Hollen Exposes Conflicting Accounts
The senator also addressed the legal complexities of the case, criticizing the Trump administration for defying court orders to return Abrego Garcia to the United States. He quoted a judge who stated there was “no evidence before the court connects Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or any other criminal organization.” Van Hollen condemned the administration’s response to this “grievous error,” noting that they “upbraided and fired the lawyer who told the truth to the court” instead of rectifying the situation.
Senator Van Hollen directly refuted President Bukele’s attempt to downplay Abrego Garcia’s imprisonment. Bukele had posted a photo depicting a seemingly casual meeting with “margaritas.” Van Hollen clarified: “Let me just be very clear, neither of us touched the drinks that were in front of us.” He described the drinks, which appeared to be margaritas, as having been placed on the table by El Salvadoran officials, stating “Nobody drank any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is.” Van Hollen characterized this as a deceptive tactic, adding, “This is a lesson into the lengths that President Bukele will go to deceive people about what’s going on.”
A Senator’s Account: The Truth About Abrego Garcia’s Detention
Van Hollen accused the White House of misrepresenting the case from the beginning, emphasizing the core issue as “adhering to the Constitution, to the right of due process.”
During the question-and-answer session, Van Hollen revealed that Abrego Garcia was given no information about why he was detained or how long he would be held. He also stated that El Salvadoran officials had proposed staging the meeting “by the side of the pool in the hotel” to create a false impression of comfortable conditions.
Senator Van Hollen pledged to oppose any taxpayer funds used for Abrego Garcia’s continued detention and warned of potential economic repercussions for El Salvador. He stated, “They are making a huge mistake… they’re branding themselves as the place for these huge prisons, where people who are illegally abducted are warehoused. That is not a good look.” He suggested potential actions such as travel boycotts and pension fund divestment, urging El Salvador to reconsider its complicity: “I just urge the president of El Salvador, the vice president of El Salvador to rethink whether they want to become the place that just gets paid off for being complicit in this illegal scheme.” Van Hollen concluded by indicating that other members of Congress would be visiting El Salvador to investigate the matter further.