Van Hollen meets with Abrego Garcia after several failed attempts – Washington Examiner
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) recently met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man mistakenly deported from Maryland and currently held in a Salvadoran prison. Prior to this meeting, Van Hollen faced multiple denials in his attempts to visit Garcia. After finally being able to meet, Van Hollen expressed his goal of connecting with Garcia and relayed a message of love to Garcia’s wife, Jennifer. The meeting took place in a restaurant, and Van Hollen shared a photo of them together.
Salvadoran President nayib Bukele made light of the meeting, ridiculing claims about Garcia’s safety, as the Department of homeland Security has labeled him as a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim his lawyers contest. While Van Hollen’s visit aimed to advocate for Garcia, it remains uncertain whether he will be allowed to return to the U.S. Bukele’s mocking comments suggest that Garcia may not be returned and will continue to face custody issues in El Salvador.
Van Hollen meets with Abrego Garcia after several failed attempts
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man mistakenly deported from Maryland who is being held in a notorious Salvadoran prison.
Before their meeting, Van Hollen had tried multiple times to see Abrego Garcia but said he was denied.
“I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar,” the senator said in a post to X on Thursday night, complete with a photo of them talking. “Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.”
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The pair appeared to be at a restaurant, with Abrego Garcia donning a Kansas City Chiefs cap and a collared shirt.
I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return. pic.twitter.com/U9y2gZpxCb
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) April 18, 2025
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele mocked the meeting in a post on X.
“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ & ‘torture’, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” he wrote, alluding to Democrats’ concerns about Abrego Garcia’s safety.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” & “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 18, 2025
“Now that he’s been confirmed healthy, he gets the honor of staying in El Salvador’s custody,” Bukele added a short while later, pinning the post on his X profile. He also reposted a message replying to his original post, with the message: “my guess is this is a troll so a sitting senator is photographed with a member of MS-13 and he will be returned back to CECOT,” the Salvadoran prison.
The Department of Homeland Security has argued Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, though the man’s lawyers have disputed this. It’s unclear whether Abrego Garcia will be returned to the U.S., but Bukele’s posts suggest he will not.
Van Hollen arrived in El Salvador on Wednesday in hopes he could meet with Abrego Garcia, who was deported by the Trump administration along with many MS-13 members. The Maryland senator tried to gain entry into the prison where Abrego Garcia was being held earlier on Wednesday and Thursday but said he was blocked.
“They stopped us because they are under orders not to allow us to proceed,” Van Hollen said.
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Way too much over reach for non elected political judges, Now is the time for Congress to stop the lawfare being imposed activated by the radical Democrats, We have District Judges making decisions on matters not even being held before their court .Rulings on matters way above their pay scales, on matters way above their non elected Civic powers, on matters way above their skill levels, on matters way above their appointment job descriptions, such as District appointed Judges. They are not allowed to rule on National matters, that’s why we have elected officials, They are not part of the third equal ruling branch of our Government, they are appointed subject to Congressional control and approval, They have decided on their own to exceed that authority and will be put back in place by Congress. The Democrats have started this out of control Judicial movement taking their lead by the corrupt law breaking Biden crime family It will be corrected back to normal operation by Congress.
How much time has Van Hollan spent with families whose children were “deported” without due process by taking illegally imported fentanyl? How many victims of child trafficking has he visited? How many murdereded and raped US citizens by illegal invaders has he visited?
If you want to know where a man stands, you must appreciate where he kneels!