U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen arrived at CECOT on April 16, flanked by diplomats, but was stopped by armed soldiers. El Salvador’s Vice President Félix Ulloa told him that any visitation would have needed weeks of advance scheduling. Van Hollen pressed for at least a phone call with Abrego Garcia or his family; Ulloa referred him to the U.S. Embassy for further requests.
Unable to gain entry, Van Hollen shifted tactics. On April 17, he found Abrego Garcia waiting in plainclothes at a nearby hotel lobby. The two spoke across a small table under bright lobby lights—an impromptu meeting arranged through Van Hollen’s office. The senator shared that he relayed messages of love to Abrego Garcia’s wife and discussed the next legal steps.
Abrego Garcia’s case has become a flashpoint in U.S.–El Salvador relations. He entered the United States illegally in 2011 at age 16, fleeing gang violence in his homeland. A Maryland immigration judge granted him withholding of removal in 2019, but in March 2025, U.S. officials deported him under the centuries‑old Alien Enemies Act—an action federal courts later deemed an “administrative error.” The Supreme Court ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return, but both the Trump administration and President Nayib Bukele have refused to comply.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department assert that Abrego Garcia is a validated MS‑13 member. Internal DOJ documents show that the Prince George’s County Gang Unit flagged him as part of the “Western Clique,” labeling him a “chequeo,” or prospective gang recruit. At his 2019 arrest for loitering outside a Home Depot, officials reported he carried $1,178 in cash and unspecified drugs, and wore a hoodie featuring rolls of money imagery—a known MS‑13 symbol Spectrum Local News.
Allegations of personal violence compound the controversy. In 2021, Abrego Garcia’s wife filed a civil protective order, accusing him of physical abuse; she later dropped the case after counseling but the record remains on file. Prosecutors also reference multiple traffic‑violation no‑show warrants and unverified intelligence suggesting involvement in human trafficking NBC4 Washington.
El Salvador’s hardline “anti‑terrorism” prison at CECOT houses hundreds of suspects—including alleged gang members under indefinite detention. Bukele has publicly declared Abrego Garcia a “terrorist” and vowed he will not leave Salvadoran custody. Meanwhile, some Republicans in Congress praise El Salvador’s cooperation, while Democrats decry what they see as a breach of due process and an alarming executive‑branch overreach Reuters.
As the standoff endures, Senator Van Hollen plans to press further diplomatic and legal channels to secure Abrego Garcia’s return. His trip underscores deep tensions over immigration enforcement, gang‑related security policies, and the balance between national sovereignty and individual rights.
