Democrats are planning to travel to El Salvador for the release of Salvadra National Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was recently deported, Axios reports.
The planned trip comes after US District Judge Paula Sinis ordered Abrego Garcia to testify from four Trump administration officials sent to her home country via “administrative errors.”
In response to the order, California Democrat Robert Garcia and Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost are heading a delegation to El Salvador’s high security facility, Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT). According to axios.
“We need to take action,” Garcia said. “This isn’t just one deportee or immigration policy. It’s about a US president who wants to be king against the Supreme Court.”
The Supreme Court called on the Trump administration to “promote” the return of Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant who was subject to withholding an order to remove from a lower court that would prevent him from being deported to El Salvador. However, El Salvador President Naibe Bukere said he would not return any suspected members of the MS-13 gang during this week’s visit to the oval office. (Related: Trump admins claim that there is no need to bring the suspicious MS-13 Gangbanger back to us.)
Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen landed in El Salvador on Wednesday, where he says he will fight for the release of Abrego Garcia. Democrat New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker is also planning his own visit, saying what Democrats say is a response to his rebellion against former President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court decision. (Related: Van Hollen travels to El Salvador as Trump officials strengthen their defenses against illegal deportation)
The man responded with a press statement to the murder of one of the US citizen members by members of an illegal immigrant gang. He is now in El Salvador on behalf of illegal immigrants who have been deported to his own home country (certainly by mistake). Maryland’s wife, a man exiled… https://t.co/jchgvdkxfv
– Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 16, 2025
The unfolding controversy is part of a broader, resistance-oriented approach that many Democrats have embraced in recent months, a strategy that has sparked tensions among internal parties. Some members of the party’s founding department raised concerns that the strategy may appear unstable.
This is merely a “soup du Jour,” an anonymous House Democrat told Axios. “Trump is setting traps for Democrats. As always, we’re falling into it.”
Corey Booker is organising a trip to El Salvador for a group of Congress members to protest the release of violent MS-13 gang members. pic.twitter.com/nghvsamrde
– Ministry of Government Efficiency News (@doge__news) April 16, 2025
Garcia pushed back the characterization and argued that the incident represented a deeper problem. “This isn’t just about deportation,” he told Axios. “This is a broader story about Donald Trump’s integration of power.”
Xinis’ order for testimony from the administrator came after the Supreme Court asked her to clarify the previous order. She has since directed the administration to provide daily updates on efforts to return him.
The hearing is expected to be rolled out for two weeks with officials from the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State.
