– Advertisement –
A U.S. senator has met with a man who was deported from Maryland in the USA to a prison in El Salvador in spite of a court order saying he could stay in the USA.
Kilmar Ábrego García is a citizen of El Salvador, but he has an American wife and children and has been living in the USA for many years. All 3 of the children have developmental issues.
Prior to his deportation he had been the main breadwinner for his family as a sheet metal worker since 2019.
Since he was seized and deported a GoFundMe campaign titled “Aid for Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia’s Family” that has raised over $234,000 from more than 4,300 donors. The funds are intended to support his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and their three children, who are facing emotional and financial challenges following his deportation.
The campaign aims to cover urgent living expenses and advocacy efforts to reunite Kilmar with his family.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/legal-aid-for-kilmar-abregogarcias-government-abduction?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland used social media to share photos of his meeting with Kilmar Ábrego García. U.S. officials under Trump had admitted the deportation was a mistake, but the administration still refuses to bring him back—even after a court ruling against them.
The meeting seemed to take place in a hotel or restaurant. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele later said Mr. Ábrego García would remain in custody in El Salvador, where thousands of alleged gang members have been rounded up and interned without trials.
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
The White House claims that Mr. Ábrego García is part of MS-13, a violent gang. His lawyer and family say that’s not true, but there is no publicly available evidence either way. Press reports have not said what Mr. Garcia’s occupation is.
On social media, Trump mocked the senator, saying he looked “like a fool” while trying to get attention from the press.
This meeting happened during a tense legal fight. A federal appeals court ruled against the Trump administration, calling its actions “shocking.”
Judge Harvie Wilkinson, a conservative, said the government is acting like it can just send people to foreign prisons without any legal process. He asked why the government wouldn’t fix its mistake.
Mr. Ábrego García’s lawyers are suing the U.S. government. He was sent to a huge prison for terrorists in El Salvador in March, even though a 2019 court order had blocked his deportation.
The U.S. Supreme Court has now told the government to help bring him back.
The senator posted that he had met with Mr. Ábrego García and called his wife to share a message of love. He plans to give more details after returning to the U.S.
His wife said she was thrilled to hear the news and that her prayers had been answered. But she said the family still has many questions and will keep fighting for his release.
Senator Van Hollen also met with El Salvador’s vice-president and asked for Mr. Ábrego García’s release. The request was denied.
President Bukele reposted photos of the meeting and mocked rumors that Mr. Ábrego García had died in custody. He (presumably) sarcastically described El Salvador a “tropical paradise” and said the man would remain in their custody.
The White House called the senator’s trip “disgusting.” They said Democrats support a gang member over U.S. citizens.
Mr. Ábrego García’s lawyers say he has no connection to gangs and has never been charged with a crime.
Before being deported in March, he had been living in Maryland. He was sent along with other Salvadorans and Venezuelans to a high-security prison called Cecot.
Although Trump officials admitted the deportation was indeed a mistake, the White House still insists it wasn’t really a mistake.
Supporters of the president say this shows Trump is serious about protecting Americans. They also point to a 2021 restraining order filed by Mr. Ábrego García’s wife, who accused him of domestic violence.
She now says they went to counseling and worked through their problems.
The White House press secretary said Mr. Ábrego García will never return to the U.S. She spoke alongside the mother of Rachel Morin, a woman murdered by another Salvadoran in a separate case.
Sources: BBC, OpenAI, GoFundme.
– Advertisement –
