On that trip, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen was struck by something he saw. Now, he’s fighting for the rights of Abrego Garcia, a man caught up in an expensive legal struggle to win his return to the United States. The trip comes in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandated the Trump administration to “facilitate” Garcia’s return after a federal judge noted the administration’s lack of authority to compel El Salvador to act.
During his visit, Van Hollen met with Garcia and was appalled by the treatment he received. He went on to emphasize that Garcia had “suffered trauma” from his incarceration and mourned the broad strokes paint a concerning picture with denying his homecoming. “The Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and wrongfully deported,” Van Hollen stated.
For Van Hollen, the conversations around this case continued well past his visit. He appeared on multiple news programs, including NBC’s “Meet the Press,” ABC News’ “This Week,” and CNN’s “State of the Union.” On each of these platforms, he placed a tremendous focus on upholding the rule of law in Garcia’s case.
We were of course defending this man’s rights to due process, and NOT defending the man himself. As Van Hollen explained, what he’s really trying to do is make sure justice is truly served equally for all. He warned that if Garcia’s return was not achieved, a deeply negative precedent would be made.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has repeatedly signaled that he won’t return Garcia to the U.S. This decision is deepening the rift in the two countries’ public relations campaign surrounding this case. Van Hollen’s statement blasted the Trump administration for “spitting in the face” of the courts. He voiced a broader concern about the failure to respect judicial decisions.
When CNN interviewed Van Hollen to ask whether the nation was facing a constitutional crisis on this matter, he answered yes without hesitation. “Indeed, we are,” he replied. He argued once again that Garcia’s case is emblematic of a bigger fight over due process rights in the U.S. judicial system.
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