U.S. Senator Denied Access to Deported Salvadoran in Controversial Prison

Senator Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador to intervene in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was deported and is now being held at El Salvador’s maximum-security CECOT prison despite having no criminal record or proven gang ties. Van Hollen's requests to meet with Abrego Garcia were denied by Salvadoran officials, who cited procedural issues and claimed U.S. financial support for the detention. The deportation occurred under the Trump administration, which maintains that Abrego Garcia has MS-13 affiliations, though both U.S. court records and El Salvador's vice president reportedly acknowledge a lack of evidence. The Justice Department admitted the deportation was a mistake, yet the Salvadoran government continues to hold Abrego Garcia and refuses to release him, even after a Supreme Court order. Human rights advocates and Van Hollen have raised concerns about due process, indefinite detention, and the lack of legal counsel for detainees. The case has become a flashpoint in debates over immigration enforcement, U.S. foreign policy, and human rights.