‘Kidnapping immigrants… is not how we do things in America’ House democrats head to El Salvador to demand Abrego Garcia’s return

Four Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives traveled to El Salvador to try to secure the release and return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who had lived in the United States for more than ten years before being deported. Their trip is due to increasing political disagreement over how the Trump administration handled Abrego Garcia’s case, which has faced criticism for allegedly ignoring a Supreme Court decision.

As reported by the New York Times, the Democratic lawmakers’ trip to El Salvador was meant to draw attention to Abrego Garcia’s situation and put pressure on the Trump administration. Their visit follows an earlier trip by Senator Chris Van Hollen, who also met with Abrego Garcia and saw his living conditions in person. The Democrats are also trying to organize an official congressional delegation to look into the matter, per ABC.

They requested funding and security for this effort, but Republican leaders of the relevant House committees rejected the request. Despite this, the Democratic lawmakers are moving forward with their trip, paying for it themselves and handling the arrangements.

House Democrats push for return of man wrongfully deported

Abrego Garcia lived in Maryland with his wife, a U.S. citizen, and their three children before being deported to El Salvador on March 15. His deportation was part of a larger operation involving multiple flights carrying people accused of being connected to gangs.

Despite having legal protection that should have stopped his deportation, he was still sent back to El Salvador. A 2019 court order had specifically blocked his deportation because he faced a serious risk of harm in his home country.

After Abrego Garcia was deported, a federal judge in Maryland ordered that he be brought back to the United States. This decision was later supported by a unanimous Supreme Court ruling on April 10, which instructed the Trump administration to arrange his return. However, the Trump administration argued that it could not follow the Supreme Court’s order, claiming it did not have the power to force a foreign government to release one of its own citizens.

Several federal judges have questioned the administration’s claim that it cannot help Abrego Garcia return from El Salvador. In the Supreme Court’s ruling, Justice Sotomayor pointed out the problems with the administration’s position, warning that it could lead to the deportation and imprisonment of people, including U.S. citizens, without any legal way to challenge it.

The Democrats see their actions as a response to what they believe is a violation of due process and a refusal to respect judicial authority. Their focus is specifically on the legal problems surrounding Abrego Garcia’s deportation, rather than a wider debate on immigration policy. They argue that even if Abrego Garcia’s past actions are questionable, he still has the right to due process.