Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen’s meeting with deportee Kilmar Ábrego García in El Salvador has thrust constitutional concerns into the spotlight while the Trump administration refuses to comply with Supreme Court orders.
At a Glance
- Senator Van Hollen met with Kilmar Ábrego García in El Salvador, describing him as “traumatized” after being held in a terrorism confinement center
- The Trump administration claims Ábrego García is an MS-13 gang member but has provided no evidence of criminal activity in either country
- Ábrego García was deported despite having court-granted protection based on “well-founded fear of future persecution” from gangs
- The White House has defied Supreme Court orders to facilitate Ábrego García’s return, creating what Van Hollen calls a “constitutional crisis”
- Some Republicans, while critical of Van Hollen’s efforts, have admitted the deportation was a “screw up”
Senator Meets Detained Deportee After Public Pressure Campaign
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen finally secured a meeting with Kilmar Ábrego García in El Salvador after previous attempts were denied by Salvadoran officials. The meeting came after significant public pressure on Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s government. Ábrego García, who had been held in a terrorism confinement center, was transferred to a detention facility with marginally better conditions but remained isolated from the outside world with no access to news or communication channels.
After the meeting, Van Hollen reported that Ábrego García appeared psychologically affected by his imprisonment and was completely unaware of the national attention his case had received. The senator characterized the deportation as an “illegal abduction” and revealed the detainee’s distress at being imprisoned despite having committed no crimes.
Salvadoran authorities attempted to control the narrative by staging the meeting in a way that would present Ábrego García’s conditions as comfortable.
Sen. Van Hollen echoes court order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S. following his visit to El Salvador.
"If you deny the constitutional rights of one man, you threaten the constitutional rights and due process for everyone else in America." https://t.co/Pa6nVRfeXu pic.twitter.com/larYsHqdfr
— ABC News (@ABC) April 18, 2025
Constitutional Rights Versus Gang Allegations
The Trump administration’s insistence that Ábrego García is affiliated with MS-13 stands in contrast to his lack of criminal record in either the United States or El Salvador. His deportation was executed under the Alien Enemies Act, which the administration has employed to remove alleged gang members. Before his deportation, Ábrego García had been granted protection based on a “well-founded fear of future persecution” from gangs in El Salvador, making his removal particularly controversial.
The case has evolved into a clash between executive power and judicial authority. Van Hollen has consistently emphasized that the central issue is not whether Ábrego García has gang connections, but rather the administration’s failure to follow proper legal procedures in his deportation. The White House has described the deportation as an “administrative error” but has stated that even if Ábrego García returns to the US, “he would immediately be deported again.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said Sunday that his recent trip to El Salvador was not about defending Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported despite a court order, but about defending the Constitution. https://t.co/BlsCvR7dmF
— ABC News (@ABC) April 20, 2025
Supreme Court Orders Ignored As Constitutional Tensions Rise
The defiance of Supreme Court directives by the administration has elevated this case beyond immigration policy into the realm of constitutional governance. Despite court orders to facilitate Ábrego García’s return to the United States, the administration has taken no action to comply. Van Hollen has accused officials of “flouting the courts” and creating a potential constitutional crisis by refusing to acknowledge judicial authority over executive actions.
The political dimensions of the case have become increasingly apparent, with the White House mocking Van Hollen’s meeting with Ábrego García. Even some Republicans, while disagreeing with Van Hollen’s approach, have acknowledged problems with the deportation.
Louisiana Senator John Kennedy called Van Hollen’s efforts “utterly and gloriously wrong” but conceded that the deportation was a “screw up,” highlighting the complex political calculus surrounding constitutional principles and immigration enforcement.
