Democratic Senators Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. and Tim Kaine D-Va., introduced legislation on Thursday to hold Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and other Salvadoran leaders "accountable" for their alleged human rights abuses and for the country’s "collusion with the Trump administration to imprison people from the United States without due process." (Getty Images and Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images and EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images)
Van Hollen was the first of several Democrats to fly to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia and to advocate for his return to the U.S.
Abrego Garcia, whom the DOJ is prosecuting on human trafficking charges and who is also an alleged wife-beater, was returned to the U.S. on June 6 to stand trial.
Van Hollen released a statement celebrating Abrego Garcia’s return, saying, "This is not about the man, it’s about his constitutional rights – and the rights of all."
In a statement announcing the bill on Thursday, Van Hollen accused Bukele and the Salvadoran government of "colluding with the Trump Administration" by "taking American taxpayer dollars to imprison people as part of a scheme to violate their constitutional rights."
AG BONDI DETAILS ‘VERY SERIOUS CHARGES’ FACING KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA
Sen. Alex Padilla, Democrat from California, departs after speaking to reporters outside of the Wilshire Federal Building, after he was forcibly removed after interrupting a news conference being held by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, in Los Angeles on Jun. 12, 2025. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
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Padilla was detained by authorities on Thursday after attempting to disrupt a press conference being held in Los Angeles by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin responded to the legislation in a statement to Fox News Digital in which she quipped: "Is this just another excuse for Senator Van Hollen to fly down to El Salvador on U.S. taxpayer’s dime to dine with gang members and terrorists?"
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson also chimed in, telling Fox News Digital in an emailed statement that "Chris Van Hollen (D-Illegal Alien) continues to embarrass himself and betray his constituents by spending more time representing criminal illegal aliens than American citizens."
"His taxpayer-funded vacation to El Salvador to sip margaritas with a terrorist, human-trafficker, and wife-beater wasn’t enough – now he wants to keep more criminal illegals in American communities," Jackson remarked, adding "All Americans should be grateful for CECOT, which houses violent criminal illegal aliens who threaten the safety and security of everyone."
Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
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