Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen visited Kilmar Abregó García, who has ties to dangerous criminal associations
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Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen (Maryland) traveled this week to El Salvador with the aim of visiting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran migrant, recently deported to the Central American country.
The deportation was carried out under the Trump administration, being identified as a member of the MS-13 gang, although his lawyers deny any links to criminal organizations.
Abrego was allegedly transferred to the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT), a mega-prison known for housing alleged gang members, according to testimonies made by several Democrats.
El senador Van Hollen representa al estado de Maryland, donde otro salvadoreño asesinó a una mujer
Van Hollen denounced that Abrego Garcia was deported due to an administrative error and without due legal process, which has been confirmed by federal courts and recently by the United States Supreme Court, which ordered the administration to facilitate his return to the country. However, the Salvadoran government has denied repatriation.
Initially, Van Hollen was rejected in his attempts to visit Abrego Garcia. Upon his arrival in El Salvador, he met with Vice President Félix Ulloa, as President Nayib Bukele was out of the country.
Ulloa informed him that the visit could not be arranged without prior planning and he could not promise access in the future or even a phone call with the detainee's family.
Despite the obstacles, Van Hollen insisted that he would continue to press. Finally, on Thursday night, he managed to meet with Abrego Garcia, thus fulfilling the main objective of his trip. He published photos of the meeting and informed Abrego's wife about her husband's health status.
El senador fue recibido por el vicepresidente de El Salvador ante la ausencia del presidente Bukele
Van Hollen's visit caused strong controversy in the United States, especially for coinciding with the case of Rachel Morin, a woman murdered in Maryland by Víctor Antonio Martínez-Hernández, an illegal Salvadoran immigrant.
The case has been highlighted by conservative sectors as a symbol of the dangers of a lax immigration policy. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt called the senator's visit "deplorable and sad", accusing him of ignoring American victims while advocating for migrants accused of crimes.
Patty Morin, Rachel's mother, also spoke out against the senator, criticizing him for using public funds to travel to El Salvador instead of showing solidarity with her family.
She recounted the details of her daughter's crime, visibly affected, and questioned why a suspected criminal like Abrego Garcia deserved more attention than a murdered American citizen.
Karoline Leavitt calificó la visita como ''deplorable''
Despite the judicial decisions in his favor, Abrego Garcia's case has become more controversial due to new revelations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Trump administration have released documentation that proves his membership in the MS-13 gang.
Additionally, Fox News obtained a domestic violence complaint filed by Abrego's wife in 2021. In the handwritten statement, Jennifer Vasquez claims to have been a victim of repeated beatings, accompanied by photos and videos as evidence. According to the text: "I'm afraid to be near him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he's left me."
In light of these accusations, Trump-appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi reiterated that Abrego will not be able to return to the United States unless El Salvador allows it, emphasizing: "He will not return to our country."
On the same Thursday, a federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration's request to suspend the judicial order requiring the facilitation of Abrego Garcia's return.
La fiscal general de los Estados Unidos afirmó que Abrego no volverá al país
