Maryland Democratic U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey (District 4) is planning to travel to El Salvador to conduct a welfare check on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Beltsville resident who was wrongly deported to Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a notorious prison in El Salvador.
“By the time I get down to El Salvador next month, I want to be able to report back to his wife [and] kids that their dad is okay,” Ivey wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The government of the United States or El Salvador should not stand in the way of me doing a welfare check on my constituent.”
Initially, Salvadoran officials denied U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who recently traveled to El Salvador to visit the Beltsville man, access to Abrego Garcia.
After several days of waiting for approval to see him and multiple press conferences, the senator met with Abrego Garcia, who was transferred out of CECOT and into a facility where he has his own bed and furnishings.
While Van Hollen was denied access to CECOT, several congressional Republicans including Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) have visited the notorious prison to tout their support for the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
Although a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return, the father and husband remains in El Salvador as his family, advocates, Van Hollen, Ivey and other politicians seek answers.
“The White House and the president have been lying about this case from the beginning. They’ve been trying to change the subject from the beginning. As I said and the courts have said — from the Supreme Court, to the Fourth Circuit, to the district court— what this is about is adhering to the constitution to the right of due process. And that’s why we said, ‘Bring Kilmar home,’ so he can be afforded his rights under the Constitution.”
Ivey penned a letter calling for the return of Abrego Garcia that was signed by over 150 House Democrats, including Maryland congressional members Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-District 5), Kweisi Mfume (D-District 7), and April McClain Delaney (D-District 6).
“Instead of the endless spin and excuses, the Trump administration should comply with the Supreme Court’s order to facilitate Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return to his family in the United States,” Ivey wrote in the letter. “The President has the power to do so and must act without delay.”
