Overview

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident, was deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite a 2019 court order barring his removal due to persecution risks.
• Sen. Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador to advocate for Abrego Garcia’s return but was denied access to meet or communicate with him by Salvadoran officials.
• The Trump administration has refused to comply with a Supreme Court directive to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return, describing him as an illegal alien and alleged gang member, accusations he denies.
• Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa stated that the U.S. government is paying El Salvador to detain deportees like Abrego Garcia in the controversial CECOT prison.
• The case has become a flashpoint for debates over due process, executive defiance of judicial orders, and the treatment of detainees in foreign prisons.