Senator Van Hollen says Trump paying El Salvador to hold wrongfully deported man

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) revealed during a visit to El Salvador that the country’s vice president told him the Trump administration is financially compensating El Salvador to continue detaining Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT).

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who had been living legally in Maryland, was mistakenly deported by US officials due to an “administrative error.”

Despite being labelled by the Trump administration as having gang affiliations, he has never been convicted of any gang-related crimes, and both US courts and Salvadoran authorities have found no substantial evidence linking him to MS-13.

Abrego Garcia remains imprisoned at CECOT, a high-security facility designed for terrorists, according to Axios.

On April 16, Van Hollen questioned El Salvador's Vice President Félix Ulloa about the ongoing detention of Abrego Garcia, despite the lack of legal grounds.

Ulloa allegedly responded by stating that the Trump administration is "paying" El Salvador to keep Garcia at CECOT.

"The answer was that the Trump administration is paying the government of El Salvador to keep him at CECOT," Van Hollen said following the meeting.

Van Hollen also expressed concerns over Abrego Garcia’s continued imprisonment, asking why he was still detained despite court rulings and the absence of gang-related evidence.

The senator sought permission to visit Garcia but was informed that such a visit would require prior approval and coordination with the US Embassy.

Van Hollen stated that he would request the US Embassy to formally pursue communication with Garcia, though he acknowledged that access may not be granted.

According to reports, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has told President Trump that Garcia will not be released or returned to the US, despite court orders urging the US government to facilitate his release.

The Department of Justice has stated that, should Garcia return to the US, he would be detained again and face potential deportation.