A growing rift within the Democratic Party has emerged as several lawmakers push for the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national deported from the United States. Garcia, who had been living in Maryland, has been accused of being a member of the violent MS-13 gang—an allegation he denies. Despite these serious claims, a number of Democratic leaders, including Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Representative Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, are advocating for Garcia’s return. They argue that his deportation represents not only a legal misstep but also a broader erosion of civil rights and due process in the United States.
Senator Van Hollen has taken his efforts to El Salvador, where Garcia is currently detained in the notorious CECOT prison, a high-security facility known for housing violent offenders. Despite appeals made directly to Salvadoran Vice President Felix Ulloa, Van Hollen has so far been unsuccessful in securing Garcia’s release or even a meeting with him. Undeterred, other Democratic lawmakers are preparing to join him in Central America, hoping that a larger congressional presence will bring more pressure to bear on Salvadoran officials and draw attention to what they believe is an overreach by the U.S. government.
Representative Ansari has voiced strong concerns about what she calls the “illegal abduction” of Garcia, framing it as a constitutional crisis. She cited a previous court ruling that had prohibited Garcia’s removal and described the Biden administration’s failure to uphold this ruling as deeply troubling. Ansari, whose family fled political oppression in Iran, drew parallels between authoritarian crackdowns abroad and what she sees as a creeping disregard for the rule of law in the U.S. Her emotional appeal resonates with other progressive lawmakers who see the case as symbolic of broader threats to civil liberties and immigrant rights.
The case has prompted additional support from Reps. Maxwell Frost of Florida and Robert Garcia of California, who have requested an official congressional delegation to visit the CECOT facility. They argue that lawmakers must conduct a welfare check not only on Garcia but on other detainees who may be held under questionable circumstances. Senator Cory Booker and Rep. Delia Ramirez have also expressed interest in making the trip, underscoring a significant level of concern within the party over how deportation protocols are being enforced and whether they align with constitutional protections.
However, not everyone is on board with this movement. Republicans have voiced strong opposition, accusing Democrats of attempting to bring dangerous individuals back into the country. Representative Riley Moore of West Virginia, who recently visited CECOT, described the inmates there as extremely violent and praised efforts to keep them out of the U.S. Similarly, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith criticized Democrats for what he views as a reckless push to release foreign criminals. This political standoff reveals deep divisions not only between the parties but also within the Democratic ranks as they grapple with the tension between national security, immigration enforcement, and human rights.