Senators Seek Accountability on Deportations to El Salvador Amid Legal Case

Democratic U.S. senators have introduced a bill requiring the Trump administration to report on deportation practices related to El Salvador, specifically concerning Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported. The bill calls for assessments on El Salvador’s human rights record and conditional U.S. aid, while ongoing legal actions demand Garcia’s return following a court ruling.

U.S. senators, led by Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, introduced a bill on Thursday aimed at compelling the Trump administration to provide detailed reports about deportations to El Salvador. This legislative move comes amid ongoing legal turbulence surrounding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was deported back to a Salvadoran prison earlier this year due to a stated administrative error by the administration itself.

The proposal requires assessments of El Salvador’s human rights record, along with confirmation if U.S. government funds are being utilized to support the detention of those deported. It neatly ties into concerns raised over the administration’s approach to deportation policies and the implications of those actions.

In March, Abrego Garcia was one of nearly 200 migrants transported to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Reports from CBS News highlighted that President Nayib Bukele’s government welcomed these deportations, with the administration leveraging the Alien Enemies Act, an outdated law from World War II, to justify the actions.

The nature of the deal between the U.S. and El Salvador has raised eyebrows among various lawmakers. Senator Van Hollen has frequently referenced this arrangement, urging for Abrego Garcia’s return. A recent visit to El Salvador saw him uncover information from Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa, revealing that Abrego Garcia’s detention is primarily because of U.S. financial support.

Van Hollen wrote to President Trump stating, “the Government of El Salvador is holding him solely at the request of your Administration and, specifically, because you are paying them to imprison him.”

The new legislation stipulates that if the Trump administration fails to provide mandated reports regarding deportations, any security assistance from the U.S. to El Salvador would be barred. This bill was introduced under the Foreign Assistance Act, which obligates a Senate vote.

In a statement, Van Hollen emphasized, “The American people deserve answers on this clear defiance of our nation’s constitutional rights and the extent of El Salvador’s complicity in this scheme, as well as its human rights abuses.”

The legal saga surrounding Kilmar Abrego Garcia continues to unfold. Following his wrongful deportation in March, courts, including a federal judge and the Supreme Court, have mandated the Trump administration to prioritize facilitating his return to the U.S. His legal circumstances are complicated by a “withholding of removal” order granted by a U.S. immigration judge back in 2019, which should have prevented his deportation.

On April 30, a federal judge denied the administration’s plea for additional time to furnish details regarding Abrego Garcia’s deportation and the steps being taken for his return. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has firmly called for compliance and has pushed back against what she described as the administration’s “willful and bad faith refusal to comply” with court obligations throughout the legal proceedings.

The legislative push by Democratic senators is aimed at shedding light on deportation policies concerning El Salvador, particularly in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported under questionable circumstances. The proposed bill not only mandates reports and assessments surrounding U.S. dealings with El Salvador but also serves to emphasize the ongoing complexity of U.S. immigration enforcement and human rights implications. As judicial orders continue to compel the administration regarding Garcia’s return, the interplay between legal, human rights, and political factors remains delicate and contentious.

Original Source: www.cbsnews.com