Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen held a press conference Friday to share details about his Thursday meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador.
"As the federal courts have said, we need to bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home to protect his constitutional rights to due process," Sen. Van Hollen said. "This case is not just about one man. It's about protecting the constitutional rights of everybody who resides in the United States."
Sen. Van Hollen met with Abrego Garcia on Thursday evening. After the meeting, Sen. Van Hollen says he called Abrego Garcia's wife Jennifer.
"I told her what he said to me, which was first and foremost that he missed her and his family."
Sen. Van Hollen said he met with the vice president of El Salvador on Wednesday and was denied a meeting with Abrego Garcia, and was denied later meetings or even phone calls between him or his family.
Sen. Van Hollen said he drove to CECOT himself with a lawyer for Abrego Garcia's family. He says he was pulled over by soldiers and told that they were not allowed to proceed.
Sen. Van Hollen said he was preparing to leave the country on Thursday when he was told he could meet with Abrego Garcia. Abrego Garcia was brought to the hotel where the senator was saying.
According to Sen. Van Hollen's recollection of the meeting, Abrego Garcia first asked after his family. Abrego Garcia then related what he recalled of his arrest and transfer to El Salvador.
He said he was first taken to a facility Baltimore and was denied the opportunity to make a phone call. From there, Abrego Garcia said he was moved to Texas and later shackled and placed on a plane. He said at the time, those aboard didn't know for sure where they were being taken.
Abrego Garcia said he was placed in a cell at CECOT with dozens of other prisoners. He said he was not afraid of the prisoners in his cell, but he said he was "traumatized" by the experience of being in CECOT and heard taunts from other prisoners in the facility.
According to Sen. Van Hollen, Abrego Garcia was at some point before their meeting moved to a prison in Santa Ana, El Salvador. Abrego Garcia said he has had no access to news or communications with the outside.
"His conversation with me was the first communication he had with anyone outside prison since he was abducted," Sen. Van Hollen said.
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On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security released information that it says suggests Abrego Garcia may have been involved in human trafficking.
The report also appears to confirm that Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang.
Van Hollen on Friday said the Trump administration's claims about Abrego Garcia's alleged gang affiliations should be made in the court on record, Van Hollen said.
"In other words, put up in court or shut up," he said.
