Deportation of Salvadoran Citizen Ignites Bipartisan Criticism in the U.S.
Amid a backdrop of rising political tensions, the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who lived in Maryland, has drawn sharp rebuke from both sides of the political aisle. Deported to El Salvador due to what has been termed an “administrative error,” Abrego Garcia’s case has sparked a heated debate over immigration policies and constitutional rights.
In this photo released by Senator Van Hollen’s press office, Hollen, right, speaks with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who was living in Maryland and deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration, in a hotel restaurant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Press Office Senator Van Hollen, via AP)
Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, criticized the deportation as a “screw up” but refrained from advocating for Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States. Conversely, Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, who recently visited Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, described the situation as a “constitutional crisis” and called for diplomatic pressure on El Salvador to facilitate his return.
The Trump administration has not complied with a Supreme Court mandate to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, citing its inability to compel the Salvadoran government to release him. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has dismissed the notion of Abrego Garcia’s release as “preposterous.”
A recent federal court decision rejected the Trump administration’s appeal against the order for Abrego Garcia’s return, intensifying the legal battle.
‘Put up or shut up in court’
Senator Van Hollen defended his visit to El Salvador, responding to President Trump’s criticism, following the president’s social media post featuring a photo of a man’s tattooed hand. Trump claimed it was evidence that Abrego Garcia is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, despite assertions to the contrary.
This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such “a fine and innocent person.” They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found… pic.twitter.com/31sNr2k1SK
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2025
Van Hollen stated he did not observe any tattoos and emphasized the need for the administration to present its case in court rather than on social media. He argued that newly released documents by the administration should be scrutinized in a legal setting.
Abrego Garcia deportation ‘was a screw up’
Senator Kennedy criticized the deportation as a “screw up” and called for Abrego Garcia to have received a hearing before being sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison. However, he dismissed claims of a broader constitutional crisis, suggesting it is an isolated incident.
Kennedy also expressed disapproval of the idea to deport American criminals to El Salvador, citing constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
