Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen confirmed Sunday that his taxpayer-funded trip to El Salvador was indeed official. He made the admission during a Fox News interview with Shannon Bream. When she asked if taxpayers paid for it, Van Hollen replied, “Yes, like every other trip.”
Van Hollen defended the trip as a fight for due process, not an endorsement of one person. He had previously called Kilmar Abrego Garcia an “American citizen,” but his office later claimed he “misspoke,” referring instead to Garcia’s U.S.-born wife. His office did not respond to questions about trip specifics.
Congressional trips like Van Hollen’s, known as CODELs, must be cleared by leadership and foreign affairs committees. They’re typically funded by Congress, the State Department, or the Department of Defense. Senators must follow ethics rules and disclose any expenses.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declined to comment. Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Maxwell Frost and Robert Garcia sought approval for a similar trip. They said the Senate had already authorized CODEL travel to El Salvador’s CECOT prison.
House Oversight Chair James Comer rejected the request, saying, “If you also wish to meet with him, you can spend your own money.” He refused to greenlight any taxpayer funds for the trip. But the lawmakers went anyway.
Democrats Garcia, Frost, Yassamin Ansari, and Maxine Dexter arrived in El Salvador today to advocate for Abrego Garcia’s return. The move sparked backlash from Republicans and the Trump team, who said the focus should be on Americans, not non-citizens.
Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the trip on his podcast. “They’re traveling there in order to highlight, ‘We want to bring this illegal immigrant…back to America,’” he said. “That’s astonishingly bad policy, and I think astonishingly bad politics.”
Abrego Garcia claims he’s unsafe in El Salvador, fearing rival gang Barrio 18. But records show he was detained in 2019 with two high-ranking MS-13 members. Two judges found him to be a gang member and public safety threat.
Court filings also show his wife filed two domestic violence protection orders. A DOJ report described him in gang attire and ID’d him via a confidential informant.