As the House Minority Leader, Jeffries has a ton of power. Now he’s using it to right a sinking ship.
Because he issued a dire warning to Democrats that is raising eyebrows.
Jeffries Sidesteps El Salvador Advocacy Amid Party Tensions
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries faced pointed questions about whether Democrats should escalate their fight for Kilmar Abrego Garcia and 237 other men wrongly deported to El Salvador’s notorious prison system. When pressed on whether Democrats should travel to the country to spotlight the issue, Jeffries deflected, stating, “Our reaction is that Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating of any president in modern American history.” His response sidestepped the issue, reflecting a cautious approach as Democrats wrestle with how to address Trump’s mass deportation policies without alienating voters.
Behind closed doors, Jeffries appears less enthusiastic about high-profile trips to El Salvador, despite public pressure from within his party. According to two Democratic aides and a lawmaker speaking to The Bulwark, Jeffries has quietly discouraged further delegations to the country, believing the strategy has “run its course.” “They want to let the El Salvador stuff slow down,” a senior House staffer said. This stance has sparked frustration among Democrats who see the deportations as a moral and political flashpoint, exposing the deep divisions within the party over how to confront Trump’s hardline immigration agenda.
Democrats Split on Moral and Political Strategy
The debate over how aggressively to pursue justice for Abrego Garcia and others has intensified, with some Democrats arguing that spotlighting the issue is both a moral imperative and a winning political move. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the first to visit El Salvador, secured a meeting with Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, and confirmed his health, leading to his transfer from the brutal CECOT prison to another facility.
Inspired by Van Hollen, Reps. Robert Garcia, Yassamin Ansari, Maxwell Frost, and Maxine Dexter followed suit, aiming to draw attention to the broader group of deportees. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) reportedly planned a similar trip, though his office has not confirmed its status.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), led by Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), is also organizing a trip to El Salvador, but with a specific goal: securing direct access to Abrego Garcia.
“Adriano didn’t just want to do a trip like the other Democrats did,” a House Democrat noted, highlighting that previous delegations were denied access to detainees. Espaillat, who attended Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s inauguration alongside CHC members Reps. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), emphasized the urgency of the issue. “The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is working all avenues to ensure Kilmar Abrego Garcia rejoins his family and receives his constitutional right to due process,” he said.
Jeffries’ Caution Risks Alienating Progressive Base
Jeffries’ office initially declined to comment on the El Salvador trips but later issued a statement through spokesperson Christie Stephenson, calling reports of his discouragement “false” and “thinly sourced.” Stephenson stressed, “Jeffries has repeatedly said, House Democrats will never stop fighting for the release of Mr. Abrego Garcia.”
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling mandating Abrego Garcia’s return, Jeffries demanded the order be “aggressively” and “immediately” enforced, stating, “Mr. Abrego Garcia must be returned immediately before he is k*lled in one of the most dangerous prisons in the world. Enough with the fake bravado.” Yet, his public statements avoid addressing whether physical trips to El Salvador would aid or complicate these efforts.
Some Democrats worry that Jeffries’ reluctance to embrace the El Salvador issue could dampen the party’s moral credibility and cede ground to Republicans, who have capitalized on immigration as a wedge issue. Espaillat has leaned into the due process angle, a message that resonates with voters as Trump’s approval ratings plummet.
“For years, Republicans primed the system for abuse and cruelty,” he said, “and now the Trump administration is crossing every due-process line in the book. But they did not rewrite the United States Constitution—due process is an inalienable right, regardless of status, for anyone and everyone in the United States of America.”
Political Risks Loom as Democrats Navigate Trump’s Policies
The internal Democratic divide reflects concerns about the political fallout of focusing heavily on Abrego Garcia’s case. While progressive members in safe districts see the trips as a way to galvanize their base, others fear that continued attention could provide Republicans with ammunition to paint vulnerable Democrats as soft on immigration.
With Trump’s deportation policies dominating headlines, the party struggles to balance its commitment to human rights with the need to address economic issues that resonate more broadly with voters.
As Democrats like Espaillat and Van Hollen push for action, Jeffries’ cautious approach risks alienating the party’s progressive wing, which views the El Salvador deportations as a glaring example of Trump’s cruelty and Democratic inaction.
The failure to secure access to detainees during previous trips points to the challenges of turning symbolic gestures into tangible results. With the CHC and others pressing forward, the party’s response to this crisis will test its ability to become unified.
