In a recent visit to El Salvador, Senator Chris Van Hollen revealed the traumatic tale of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man mistakenly deported by the previous administration, who reported months in isolating detention conditions. After nearly three weeks in the notorious CECOT prison, Garcia’s plight highlights critical issues surrounding the treatment of deportees and their human rights.
Senator Advocates for Deported Maryland Man's Rights Amid Ongoing Isolation
Senator Advocates for Deported Maryland Man's Rights Amid Ongoing Isolation
A Maryland senator raises awareness about the treatment of a deportee held in El Salvador as he suffers due to isolation conditions.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, accompanying Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported by the Trump administration, reported heart-wrenching details of Garcia’s experience in El Salvador. After spending nearly three weeks in CECOT, a notorious maximum-security prison known for human rights violations, Garcia expressed that he had faced significant trauma during this time. Although recently transferred to a new facility in Santa Ana, he remains isolated, cut off from communication and any news from the outside world.
In a press briefing upon his return to Washington, Senator Van Hollen recounted Garcia’s words regarding his time at CECOT, where he felt threatened by the atmosphere and taunts from other inmates, even as he shared a cell with fellow detainees. Garcia’s tale underscores the distress prevalent in the current immigration enforcement system. Initially, he had asked for assistance in making calls during his initial detention in Baltimore but was denied. This lack of support followed him through his degrading journey — from Texas detention facilities to being shuttled on a plane to El Salvador with windows obscured and into a convict's prison.
Senator Van Hollen empathized with Garcia, emphasizing that he is not a criminal, which was the environment he found himself in at CECOT, stating, “He said that he felt very sad to be in a place that’s meant for criminals.” Garcia had entered the U.S. without documentation but had been granted a temporary reprieve from deportation back in 2019. His situation has raised important questions surrounding the rights of deported individuals and the due process afforded to them as they navigate through harsh immigration policies.
In a press briefing upon his return to Washington, Senator Van Hollen recounted Garcia’s words regarding his time at CECOT, where he felt threatened by the atmosphere and taunts from other inmates, even as he shared a cell with fellow detainees. Garcia’s tale underscores the distress prevalent in the current immigration enforcement system. Initially, he had asked for assistance in making calls during his initial detention in Baltimore but was denied. This lack of support followed him through his degrading journey — from Texas detention facilities to being shuttled on a plane to El Salvador with windows obscured and into a convict's prison.
Senator Van Hollen empathized with Garcia, emphasizing that he is not a criminal, which was the environment he found himself in at CECOT, stating, “He said that he felt very sad to be in a place that’s meant for criminals.” Garcia had entered the U.S. without documentation but had been granted a temporary reprieve from deportation back in 2019. His situation has raised important questions surrounding the rights of deported individuals and the due process afforded to them as they navigate through harsh immigration policies.
