Senator Chris Van Hollen refuted claims from a trip to El Salvador, denying consumption of drinks in a viral photo and asserting they were fake. He criticized President Bukele and the Trump administration for attempting to distract from constitutional crises regarding immigration policy. Van Hollen emphasized the importance of due process in legal matters and faced criticism for advocating for an immigrant with alleged gang ties.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, recently discussed the controversy surrounding his trip to El Salvador, which has been previously termed “margarita-gate.” Upon returning to Dulles International Airport, he clarified that the margaritas visible in a viral photo with deported immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia were props, stating, “Neither of us touched the drinks that were in front of us.” Van Hollen explained that any signs of drinking would have resulted in a gap in the contents of the glasses, which were present in the photo yet showed no such evidence.
The senator alleged that the drinks were placed for the purpose of a staged photo-op, asserting earlier footage had depicted the table without any drinks. He criticized both Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and the Trump administration for attempting to distract from a perceived constitutional crisis taking place. Van Hollen stated, “This is a lesson into the lengths that President Bukele will do to deceive people.”
The incident arose from the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was removed from Maryland and subsequently held in a Salvadoran prison. Democratic lawmakers, including Van Hollen, have contended that this deportation infringed upon Garcia’s due process rights; however, the Trump administration pointed to Garcia’s alleged criminal history, including domestic abuse and gang affiliations, to justify the action. Reports have linked Garcia to MS-13 and suggested his involvement in human trafficking, with documented allegations of domestic violence against him.
Despite these claims, Van Hollen maintained that no substantial evidence has been provided to support the accusations in court, arguing the deportation was unlawful. He referred to judicial decisions that ordered Garcia’s return and condemned the Trump administration’s actions as undermining constitutional rights. He stated, “The government… is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process.”
While in El Salvador, Van Hollen encountered difficulty in securing a meeting with Garcia, as access was initially denied. Following media coverage, he was eventually granted a meeting location. Van Hollen revealed that the U.S. government allocated $15 million to support immigration detention operations in El Salvador, indicating that over $4 million had already been disbursed. He vowed to oppose further funding, asserting, “I won’t support the use of one penny of taxpayer dollars to keep Abrego Garcia illegally detained in El Salvador.”
Some critics, particularly from the Republican party, have challenged the wisdom of Van Hollen’s travel to El Salvador to advocate for an individual with a criminal background while neglecting the victims of crime, such as Rachel Morin, who was murdered by an undocumented immigrant. The White House highlighted this contrast by publicly sharing images of the former President meeting Morin’s mother alongside Van Hollen’s meeting with Garcia, labeling the two contexts as fundamentally different. Van Hollen empathized with Morin’s family, defending his position by underscoring the importance of legal due process, stating, “The reason we have courts of law is to punish the guilty… to make sure that those who have not committed crimes are not found guilty.”
In conclusion, Senator Chris Van Hollen addressed the controversy surrounding his interactions with deported immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, denying any consumption of the beverages featured in a viral photo. He criticized both President Bukele and the previous administration for perceived manipulations aimed at distracting from serious issues surrounding immigration and due process. Amid scrutiny from political opponents regarding his advocacy for Garcia, Van Hollen highlighted his commitment to ensuring fair legal representation for all individuals, affirming the necessity of due process as fundamental to justice.
Original Source: www.foxnews.com
