DALLAS (NewsNation) — Four House Democrats have traveled to El Salvador to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man at the center of a heated legal battle after he was mistakenly deported by the Trump administration in March.
Reps. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz.; Maxine Dexter, D-Ore.; Maxwell Frost, D-Fla.; and Robert Garcia, D-Calif., arrived Sunday to investigate Abrego Garcia's condition.
Despite being denied a visit with Abrego Garcia, the lawmakers have continued to pressure authorities for his release and have called for the freedom of other detainees.
They said Abrego Garcia's case sets a troubling precedent.
"The constitution applies to all of us, and we all are entitled to due process, not to be kidnapped by ICE agents in the middle of the night and sent to another country and sent to a prison," Frost said in a video posted to social media. "We have to draw the line here. We have to make a big deal about this."
The White House has admitted Abrego Garcia's deportation was due to an administrative mistake. However, U.S. officials remain committed to keeping the 29-year-old in El Salvador, despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering the Trump administration to “facilitate” his return.
White House criticizes trip to El Salvador
The White House is criticizing the lawmakers' trip, calling it an "apology tour for a deported illegal immigrant gang member."
House Speaker Mike Johnson took to social media, claiming the visit was an effort to "bring a violent illegal alien and member of MS-13 back into the United States."
He continued: "Could the contrast be more clear? House Republicans remain committed to protecting American families and keeping dangerous gang members OUT of the country."
Federal officials maintain Abrego Garcia is an active member of the MS-13 gang, which has been classified as a foreign terrorist organization by President Donald Trump.
Monday's visit followed a trip by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who met with Abrego Garcia and Salvadoran officials last week in an effort to secure his return.
The lawmakers who traveled to El Salvador said there's "absolutely zero indication" of that happening.
Who is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?
Abrego Garcia, 29, a Salvadoran native, entered the United States illegally and was granted protected legal status in 2019. He lived in Maryland with his U.S.-born wife and children before his deportation in March. The protected status was granted after an immigration judge agreed that his life was in danger if he was sent back to El Salvador.
Abrego Garcia testified that he feared returning to El Salvador because the Barrio 18 gang was targeting him and threatening him with death because of his family’s business.
Abrego Garcia was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on March 12 and questioned about his MS-13 affiliation. He was deported on March 15 on one of three flights to El Salvador that included alleged Venezuelan gang members.
The Justice Department argued on April 7 that although Abrego Garcia was deported through an “administrative error,” his removal from the United States was not an error.
NewsNation's Jeff Arnold and Jackie Koppell and The Associated Press contributed to this report.