Trump Refuses to Return Illegally Deported Maryland Father, Threatening to Send More Americans To Salvadoran Prisons Arrow

In response to Donald Trump ignoring the rule of law, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

"Donald Trump's disregard for the Supreme Court, the rule of law, and human decency shows the terrifying lengths he will go to fulfill his fantasy of becoming a 'dictator on day one.' Trump is hiding behind self-described dictator Nayib Bukele and refusing to return wrongfully-deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia to his wife and five-year-old son. Now, Trump is threatening to round up American citizens and ship them to foreign prisons without due process. This is an all-out assault on our Constitution and our fundamental rights, and we must fight back."

Democrats are traveling to El Salvador to demand Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele release Kilmar Abrego Garcia - a father from Maryland who Trump wrongly deported to a Salvadoran prison notorious for human rights abuses.

NBC News: "Democratic lawmakers say they'll travel to El Salvador to push for Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release"

"Democratic lawmakers led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen say they are willing to go to El Salvador to seek the release of a man whom the Justice Department says it mistakenly deported there …

"The idea gained support from several Democratic lawmakers, who said they would be willing to join [Van Hollen] on the trip.

"'We must all stand as a united front against the kidnapping and illegal detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador,' progressive Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said on X, tagging Van Hollen. 'Senator, I am willing to join you and help Organize other members of the House to do the same.'

"Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., shared Frost's post, writing that she was 'ready to join' her colleagues in traveling to El Salvador to demand Abrego Garcia's release."

Rep. Robert Garcia: "We need to go to El Salvador and demand the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia."

U.S. State Department, 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: El Salvador: "Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses

"Prison conditions before the state of exception were harsh and life threatening due to gross overcrowding; inadequate sanitary conditions; insufficient food and water shortages; a lack of medical services in prison facilities; and physical attacks. … Human rights organizations reported that as of August 22, more than 70 detainees died in prisons from violence, insufficient medical care, and chronic health conditions."

Human Rights Watch: "At least 189 detainees have died in prison during the state of emergency, human rights groups reported in October."

NBC News: "Why experts fear the men who were sent to El Salvador's megaprison may never make it out"

"Hundreds of Venezuelans who were deported to El Salvador from the United States in recent days could face long or indefinite detention in a prison system rife with human rights abuses, according to attorneys and experts on the region."

Trump is continuing his assault on the Constitution - doubling down on his threat to illegally send U.S. citizens to El Salvador's prisons, saying he "would love" to strip Americans of their constitutional rights.

Reporter: "Could we use [El Salvador] for violent criminals, our own violent criminals?"

Trump: "I call them homegrown criminals. I mean the homegrowns … the ones that grew up and something went wrong … We are looking into it and we want to do it. I would love to do that."

Reporter: "El Salvador - The president there said he would be willing to take American citizens in federal prison population. Is that one of the ideas you're going to be discussing?"

Trump: "I love that … I would be honored to give them. … I have suggested that, you know, why shouldn't it stop just to people that cross the border illegally? … I think if we could get El Salvador or somebody to take them I'd be very happy with it."

Brennan Center For Justice: "El Salvador's Offer to House U.S. Prisoners Is Illegal"

"[I]t is still illegal under Trump's own touted First Step Act."

Politico: "Trump floats sending Americans to foreign prisons. Civil rights groups say that would be illegal."

The Trump administration admitted they wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia - a legal resident with a wife and five-year-old son and no criminal record.

Reuters: "The U.S. has already acknowledged Kilmar Abrego Garcia - a Salvadoran migrant who lived in the U.S legally with a work permit - was deported in error last month …

"Abrego Garcia was wrongfully placed on the third flight despite an October 2019 judicial order granting him protection from deportation, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official has said in a court filing."

ABC News: "Last month, Abrego Garcia, whose wife is a U.S. citizen and who has 5-year-old child … was sent on March 15 to El Salvador along with more than 200 Venezuelan men who the government claims are gang members."

Newsweek: "Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a 29-year-old father of two from Maryland who had lived in the United States since 2005 … had no criminal convictions"

Trump is hiding behind a "self-described" dictator and refusing to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Axios: "[El Salvador's President Nayib] Bukele - the self-described 'world's coolest dictator'"

NBC News: "Trump administration officials have argued that the situation is out of their hands now that Abrego Garcia is in the custody of another country. During his White House visit, Bukele called the question of returning the Maryland man 'preposterous.'"

The Trump administration has repeatedly flaunted the rule of law and ignored court orders, including from the Supreme Court.

Reuters: "U.S. officials said in court filings on Sunday that they were not obligated to help a Maryland resident get out of prison in El Salvador after he was erroneously deported, despite a Supreme Court ruling directing the government to 'facilitate' his return to the United States."

Reuters: "Judge orders return of wrongly deported Maryland man to US from El Salvador"

Axios: "Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flights"

CBS News: "U.S. sent 238 migrants to Salvadoran mega-prison; documents indicate most have no apparent criminal records"

"[T]hrough internal government documents, we have obtained a list of their identities and found that an overwhelming majority have no apparent criminal convictions or even criminal charges. …

"Among them: a makeup artist, a soccer player and a food delivery driver, being held in a place so harsh that El Salvador's justice minister once said the only way out is in a coffin."

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