Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari was one of four U.S. House Democrats who have now returned to the U.S. from El Salvador. She said they went there to advocate for the safe return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a welder from Maryland who was deported there without a hearing.
Even without official government authority or protection, Ansari said they made the trip to push for a stop to what she’s calling the constitutional crisis the President Donald Trump created.
She said that even after a U.S. Supreme Court order, Garcia’s family and lawyer don’t know if he’s alive this week.
“From everything that we heard,” said Ansari. “It is clear that this administration has not asked for Kilmar Garcia to be released or to facilitate his release, and that is extremely concerning. They also– we also were not able to verify exactly where Mr. Garcia is.”
Ansari said that while she was able to speak to Garcia’s wife and lawyer, she and the other congressmembers traveling with her were denied speaking to local officials.
Last weekend, she said, back in Phoenix: “I had a mom come up to me terrified because her son is Salvadoran, she said. They are scared to travel as a family this summer because she's worried that her child will be deported just like Kilmar.”
Ansari said that especially given the international attention on his case, Garcia’s lawyer expressed additional concerns for his safety. And she added that what happened to Garcia, who was sent to a notorious prison, could happen to anyone.
“Frankly speaking, I cannot assure families here that their rights will not be messed with or denied by this government,” said Ansari.
Which is why, she emphasized, she won’t let this go.
“He said that he wants to do this to ‘home growns’ next,” Ansari said. “That means that Donald Trump is ready and willing to ignore the courts, ignore Congress, and use taxpayer dollars to deport American citizens.”
Kilmar Abrego Garcia is no longer at the CECOT prison, but is still detained in El Salvador. The White House says that Abrego Garcia would be deported again if he returns — just to a different country.
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