El Salvador President Mocks Senator Van Hollen's Meeting with Alleged MS-13 Member

Senator Van Hollen's Meeting with Alleged MS-13 Member

• 🇺🇸 Senator Chris Van Hollen met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 gang member, in El Salvador after being denied entry to the maximum-security prison where Garcia is held.
• 📸 Van Hollen posted a photo on X, stating he had spoken with Garcia's wife and would provide an update.
• mocking President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador sarcastically commented on the meeting, suggesting Garcia had "miraculously risen from the death camps and torture."

Allegations Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

• ⚖️ An ethics probe is being demanded by the American Accountability Foundation, alleging Van Hollen used Senate funds to advocate for an "enemy of the United States."
• 🗣️ Van Hollen argues the government has not substantiated claims that Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 member, stating he has fought against the gang for a long time.
• 📄 An immigration judge in 2019 found reliable testimony that Abrego Garcia was an MS-13 member, but he was not deported due to safety concerns.

Domestic Abuse Allegations

• 💔 Garcia's wife applied for a protective order in 2021, accusing him of physical and emotional abuse, including punching and scratching her, causing her to bleed, and putting pressure on their baby.
• 💥 She also accused him of ripping her shorts and shirt during another argument, and he grabbed her arm, leaving marks.

Gang Affiliation Evidence

• 🧢 During his arrest at Home Depot, Garcia was reportedly seen with known MS-13 gang members and wearing clothing indicative of gang culture, such as a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie with money covering the faces on denominations, symbolizing "see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil."
• 💰 He was found with drugs and rolls of cash, despite claiming to have no job.
• 🚨 A district attorney prosecuting MS-13 members stated that Garcia was below the level of official initiation, acting as an "errand boy" but still part of the violent organization.

Legal and Asylum Claims

• ⚖️ Two courts have identified Garcia as an MS-13 member, despite his denials.
• ✈️ When facing deportation, Garcia claimed asylum, stating his life would be in jeopardy if sent back to El Salvador, a claim he later retracted.
• 🚫 The DOJ has released information about the judge's findings of credible information regarding his MS-13 membership and domestic abuse allegations.