Maryland Rep. Ivey Denied Access to Deported Migrant in El Salvador, Sparks Immigration Debate

Maryland Congressman Glenn Ivey returned from El Salvador fuming after being denied access to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported migrant and suspected MS-13 gang member. Ivey, who traveled to check on Garcia’s welfare, called the experience a "clear runaround" by Salvadoran authorities, who demanded a permit from a location 90 minutes away, effectively blocking his visit. "It’s ridiculous," Ivey told reporters, emphasizing that such treatment of a U.S. congressional delegation was unacceptable.

The case of Abrego Garcia, deported in March and now held in El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison, has ignited a firestorm. Republicans, backed by the Trump administration, label him a human trafficker and domestic abuser, citing court records from 2020 where his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, filed a protective order alleging verbal, physical, and mental abuse. Democrats, including Ivey and Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, argue Garcia, a "Maryland man," was denied due process in U.S. courts before his deportation.

Ivey’s frustration extended beyond Garcia. He highlighted the plight of over 250 Venezuelans detained in El Salvador after U.S. deportations, noting that roughly 50 have no criminal records. "That’s un-American," Ivey declared, criticizing the policy as a betrayal of justice. His trip, self-funded to avoid taxpayer scrutiny, underscores the deep partisan divide over immigration policy, with Garcia’s case as a flashpoint.