Dem 47
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Chris Van Hollen Goes to El Salvador

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) went to El Salvador yesterday to plead for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who lives in Maryland. Talk about impressive constituent service! Van Hollen asked to speak to President Nayib Bukele, but his request was refused. He did speak to Vice President Félix Ulloa, though. Van Hollen asked if Abrego Garcia has committed any crime in El Salvador and Ulloa said he had not. Then Van Hollen asked why El Salvador was holding him. Ulloa said that was because Donald Trump was paying the country to do that.

Van Hollen asked if he could see Abrego Garcia if he came back next week, and Ulloa refused to promise that. Nevertheless, somehow Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem got into the prison easily when she went down there for a quick photo-op. Van Hollen also asked the U.S. embassy if they have received any instructions from the Trump administration to help "facilitate" his release. The answer was: "No." Van Hollen is a Harvard graduate who has a J.D. from Georgetown University. He is whip smart and knows exactly what he is doing. The Supreme Court didn't order Trump to get Abrego Garcia released, exactly. But he was ordered to "facilitate" it. If it turns out Trump did nothing to facilitate the release, like asking Bukele to do it, for example, then he clearly defied the Supreme Court. Van Hollen understands that if he can show that Trump willfully defied the Supreme Court, that could affect public opinion. It could also be Article I of Trump's impeachment on Jan. 3, 2027, if the Democrats can flip four or more seats in the House.

Van Hollen was clearly not pleased with all the stonewalling he was getting. He noted that he was the first U.S. senator to visit El Salvador to plead for Abrego Garcia's release, but there would soon be more. This could put Bukele in a tough spot. Trump is paying the bills now, but Bukele certainly doesn't want to be caught in a battle between Trump and Congress. (V)



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