Senator Chris Van Hollen recently spoke out about his meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, highlighting the emotional toll of Garcia's situation and critiquing El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele for misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding Garcia's deportation and imprisonment.

Van Hollen recounted how Garcia expressed his love for his family and his worries about their well-being during their conversation. He described Garcia's experience of being taken from Baltimore, denied the opportunity to call his family, and ultimately imprisoned in El Salvador without any clear explanation or evidence of wrongdoing. The senator emphasized that Garcia had not committed any crimes and criticized the Trump administration for their role in his wrongful deportation.

Addressing Bukele’s misleading portrayal of their meeting, Van Hollen clarified that they did not consume any drinks during their discussion, despite Bukele's claims. He accused Bukele of attempting to fabricate a narrative to distract from the real issues at hand—namely, the violation of constitutional rights and due process.

When asked about Garcia's treatment in prison, Van Hollen noted that Salvadoran officials had not provided any justification for Garcia's detention, revealing that it was essentially at the behest of the Trump administration. He vowed to oppose any use of taxpayer funds to maintain Garcia’s illegal detention and warned El Salvador about the potential economic consequences of their actions.

In closing, Van Hollen reiterated the importance of upholding constitutional rights and vowed to continue advocating for Garcia's return to the U.S.