In a bold move underscoring the escalating tensions surrounding U.S. immigration policy, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (D-OR) has announced her intention to travel to El Salvador to demand the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported and detained in a Salvadoran prison. Dexter’s decision, reported by The Hill and amplified by posts on X, follows Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen’s recent trip to the Central American nation for the same cause. “I will travel to El Salvador to confront this crisis head on. Our constitutional rights are on the line,” Dexter declared, framing Garcia’s case as a constitutional crisis that demands urgent action.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national who lived legally in the U.S. for over a decade, was deported in March 2025 despite a 2019 court order protecting him from removal due to the risk of gang violence in El Salvador. The Trump administration admitted the deportation was an “administrative error” but has resisted complying with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling mandating Garcia’s return. Instead, officials have doubled down, alleging—without evidence—that Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim his family and lawyers vehemently deny. Garcia, a sheet metal worker, husband, and father of three children with disabilities, is currently held in El Salvador’s notorious Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), a maximum-security prison criticized for its harsh conditions.
Dexter’s announcement comes on the heels of Van Hollen’s visit, during which he met Garcia after being initially denied access to CECOT. Van Hollen described the meeting, staged by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, as a superficial gesture, with Bukele mockingly claiming Garcia was “sipping margaritas” in a “tropical paradise.” Bukele, a Trump ally, has refused to release Garcia, asserting that El Salvador is being paid by the U.S. to detain him. This arrangement has fueled accusations of complicity in violating Garcia’s due process rights, prompting Dexter and other Democrats, including Representatives Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), to plan similar trips to pressure Salvadoran authorities.
The case has become a flashpoint in the broader immigration debate, with Democrats arguing it exemplifies the Trump administration’s disregard for judicial authority and human rights. “This is not just one family’s nightmare; it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us,” Dexter stated, echoing sentiments voiced by Van Hollen and Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who expressed relief at knowing her husband is alive but continues to fight for his return. Conversely, Republican lawmakers, including Representatives Riley Moore (R-WV) and Jason Smith (R-MO), have toured CECOT and supported the administration’s stance, framing Garcia as a dangerous criminal despite the lack of charges.
As Dexter prepares for her trip, the political and legal battle over Garcia’s fate intensifies, raising questions about the rule of law, international cooperation, and the human cost of deportation policies. Her mission underscores a growing congressional push to hold both the U.S. and Salvadoran governments accountable, with the eyes of the nation—and the world—watching closely.
