Representative Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat, stood outside a maximum-security prison in El Salvador on Monday, unable to visit Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a constituent wrongfully deported from the United States in March. The denial, despite a formal request to Salvadoran authorities, underscores the personal toll of a case that has left a Maryland family separated and sparked a legal battle over due process.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old father of three, was deported to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) despite a 2019 court order protecting him from removal due to fears of gang persecution. The Trump administration, acknowledging the deportation as an “administrative error,” sent Abrego Garcia on a March 15 flight with over 200 others, mostly Venezuelans, accused of gang ties. Held in CECOT, a facility known for harsh conditions, Abrego Garcia has been cut off from his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and their children, all U.S. citizens living in Maryland. Ivey, accompanied by Abrego Garcia’s lawyer, was stopped at a checkpoint and told he needed a permit to enter, despite prior coordination with the Salvadoran ambassador.
“I came to check on Kilmar’s well-being and advocate for his return,” Ivey said in a video recorded outside the prison. “It’s disheartening to be turned away when a Maryland family is suffering.” Vasquez Sura, speaking at a recent Maryland court hearing, described the emotional strain. “Every day without Kilmar is agony for me and our kids,” she said. “He’s a good father, not a criminal.”
The case stems from Abrego Garcia’s 2011 entry into the U.S. as a teenager fleeing gang violence in El Salvador. Granted a work permit and protection from deportation in 2019, he built a life in Maryland, working in construction. On March 12, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained him, alleging MS-13 gang ties based on a 2019 confidential informant’s claim, which his lawyers deny, noting he has no criminal record. The Supreme Court has since ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return, a directive it has not followed, citing El Salvador’s custody.
The incident reflects broader tensions over immigration policy. The Trump administration’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members without hearings has drawn criticism for bypassing due process. A Maryland federal judge, Paula Xinis, called Abrego Garcia’s deportation “an illegal act” and ordered daily updates on efforts to bring him back, accusing the administration of noncompliance. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, a Trump ally, has refused to release Abrego Garcia, calling him a “terrorist” during an April Oval Office meeting.
Public reactions highlight the human cost. Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, who met Abrego Garcia in April, described him as “traumatized” but determined to return to his family. “He’s a Marylander caught in an outrageous violation of his rights,” Van Hollen said. Immigration advocates, including attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, argue the case exposes systemic flaws. “Kilmar was taken from his home without a chance to defend himself,” he said. Conversely, some, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, maintain Abrego Garcia’s alleged gang ties justify his detention, despite no charges.
The case’s implications ripple beyond one family. It tests the judiciary’s authority against executive actions, with Judge Xinis warning of contempt if the administration fails to act. For Maryland’s immigrant communities, the deportation fuels fears of arbitrary removals. Economically, the U.S. has paid El Salvador $6 million to detain deportees, raising questions about accountability.
The path forward remains unclear. Ivey plans to press Salvadoran and U.S. officials for answers, while Vasquez Sura’s lawsuit in Maryland continues, with a hearing set for July. The administration’s refusal to act, coupled with El Salvador’s stance, leaves Abrego Garcia’s fate uncertain. As his children ask when their father will return, the case remains a stark reminder of the human stakes in immigration disputes.
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