In an unexpected twist during a visit to El Salvador, Senator Chris Van Hollen was stopped by military officials from visiting CECOT, a maximum-security prison where Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia has been held since his controversial deportation.
U.S. Senator Blocked from Visiting Deported Maryland Man in El Salvador Prison
U.S. Senator Blocked from Visiting Deported Maryland Man in El Salvador Prison
Senator Chris Van Hollen's attempt to visit a detained Maryland resident in El Salvador raises alarm over immigration policy and human rights.
On Thursday, Senator Van Hollen, alongside attorney Chris Newman, encountered a military checkpoint approximately a mile away from the prison location, just after he had hopes of seeing Abrego Garcia. The detention of Garcia, who was unlawfully deported from the U.S., has become a key issue in ongoing discussions about U.S. immigration policies.
Despite a request for access to meet with Garcia, which was formally rejected by El Salvador’s vice president just a day prior, Van Hollen expressed concern about Garcia's well-being since his deportation. "Our purpose today was very straightforward... to see if Kilmar Abrego Garcia is doing OK," he stated. Concerns are heightened over reports of severe prison conditions in El Salvador, including overcrowding and potential torture.
The Senator described being prevented from proceeding to the prison as a deliberate obstruction, underscoring fears regarding human rights practices in the nation.Acknowledging the humanitarian essence of his request, Van Hollen criticized the authorities' refusal to allow them access, indicating a troubling pattern of limited transparency regarding the treatment of deported individuals.
Despite a request for access to meet with Garcia, which was formally rejected by El Salvador’s vice president just a day prior, Van Hollen expressed concern about Garcia's well-being since his deportation. "Our purpose today was very straightforward... to see if Kilmar Abrego Garcia is doing OK," he stated. Concerns are heightened over reports of severe prison conditions in El Salvador, including overcrowding and potential torture.
The Senator described being prevented from proceeding to the prison as a deliberate obstruction, underscoring fears regarding human rights practices in the nation.Acknowledging the humanitarian essence of his request, Van Hollen criticized the authorities' refusal to allow them access, indicating a troubling pattern of limited transparency regarding the treatment of deported individuals.
