Democrats Push Senate Vote Targeting Trump-El Salvador Alliance Over Deportations

Democratic senators are turning up the heat on the Trump administration over its alliance with El Salvador, launching a privileged resolution that could force the White House to report how it’s complying with a court order to return U.S. residents wrongfully deported to El Salvador. The effort, led by Sens. Tim Kaine, Chuck Schumer, Alex Padilla, and Chris Van Hollen, isn’t just political theater—if the White House ignores the demand, all U.S. security assistance to El Salvador gets an instant freeze.

At a Capitol press conference, Kaine even switched gears to Spanish, aiming a pointed message at El Salvador’s government. He didn’t mince words about President Nayib Bukele’s warm relationship with Trump, calling it a ‘bromance’ that might be short-lived. Kaine made it crystal clear: “We will remember this forever. There will be significant and challenging downstream consequences for any nation that violates the rights of Americans.” It’s not every day you see a senator throw down the gauntlet in two languages.

The backdrop: the controversial deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 gang member from Maryland, which Democrats say isn’t just about one case but a bigger issue of due process for those facing deportation. Van Hollen, who traveled to El Salvador to advocate for Garcia, emphasized the resolution’s broader focus on human rights and legal protections for U.S. residents.

Van Hollen also announced plans to pursue sanctions against Bukele and his government for allegedly conspiring with Trump to deny U.S. residents their rights. Kaine, sticking with his bilingual approach, repeated the warning: if El Salvador’s government continues violating American human rights, the U.S. won’t just let it slide.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, led by John Barrasso, praised Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign—claiming it’s making streets safer and drawing a sharp line between the parties. Barrasso criticized Democrats for, in his view, prioritizing deportees over victims of crime in the U.S., highlighting the bitter divide over immigration policy.

With both sides digging in, the showdown over deportations and U.S.-El Salvador relations is about to get a lot more intense. And if you’re keeping score, the Senate’s about to have a vote that could upend the U.S. relationship with one of its Central American allies, all while the rhetoric gets more heated—in English and Spanish alike.