The Left has no shame. But it’s being put to an end.
And a Democrat Senator was stopped by soldiers for attempting this disgusting action.
Senator Thwarted in Bid to Visit Deported Immigrant
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) faced a roadblock on Thursday when Salvadoran soldiers prevented him from reaching a massive prison to check on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant deported from the U.S. and now detained in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
After El Salvador’s government rejected his request to visit the facility, Van Hollen attempted to drive to CECOT anyway, only to be stopped at a military checkpoint. In a video posted to X, he explained the situation alongside Chris Newman, the attorney for Abrego Garcia’s wife and mother.
“These soldiers were ordered to prevent us from going any farther from this spot,” Van Hollen said. “I understand we’re about 3 kilometers now from CECOT, and as you can see, they’re letting other cars go by, but they stopped us because they’re under orders not to allow us to proceed to check on the well-being of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.”
The incident, corroborated by USA Today correspondent Will Carless, who was in the same convoy, highlights the escalating tensions surrounding Abrego Garcia’s case.
The 29-year-old, who had lived in Maryland after receiving judicial permission to stay in the U.S. in 2019, was deported last month amid the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown. Van Hollen’s high-profile push to intervene has drawn sharp criticism from the White House, which accuses him of prioritizing a deported individual over American citizens.
Legal Battle and Allegations Intensify
Abrego Garcia’s deportation has ignited a contentious legal fight, with the Supreme Court ruling last week that the government must “facilitate,” but not necessarily “effectuate,” his return.
The administration initially called the deportation an “administrative error” in court, but White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller later attributed it to a “saboteur” within the Justice Department, dismissing the error narrative.
Further complicating the case, the Trump administration has labeled Abrego Garcia a member of MS-13, a designated foreign terror organization, and released documents to support the claim. His attorneys, however, vehemently deny any gang affiliation.
New details have emerged, including a restraining order accusing Abrego Garcia of domestic violence against his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, though she now claims they reconciled. Van Hollen, who traveled to El Salvador this week and met with Vice President Félix Ulloa to advocate for Abrego Garcia’s release, has framed the deportation as an “abduction and unlawful deportation” of a “constituent.”
Meanwhile, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, during a White House meeting with Trump, firmly rejected returning Abrego Garcia. “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?” Bukele said, adding, “I don’t have the power to return him.”
White House Slams Democratic Priorities
The case has fueled a broader debate over immigration policy and political priorities. At a Wednesday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, joined by Patty Morin—whose daughter, Rachel, was r*ped and m*rdered in Maryland two years ago by another illegal immigrant from El Salvador—lambasted Van Hollen and Democrats supporting Abrego Garcia.
“It’s appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incapable of having any shred of common sense or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens,” Leavitt said. The remarks highlight the administration’s argument that Democratic efforts are misdirected, especially in light of violent crimes linked to illegal immigration.
Van Hollen’s trip and the surrounding controversy reflect the deep divide over immigration enforcement. As the Trump administration doubles down on deportations, Abrego Garcia’s case has become a flashpoint, pitting claims of unlawful government action against concerns about public safety and border security.
With the legal battle ongoing and El Salvador standing firm, the senator’s blocked visit points to the challenges of navigating international and domestic pressures in a polarized climate.
