Oregon Lawmaker Joins Democrats in Visiting El Salvador Over Controversial Deported Migrant

Rep. Maxine Dexter, a Democrat from Oregon, has announced that she will travel to El Salvador to advocate for Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a deported illegal migrant currently held in the country’s infamous "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT) megaprison. Dexter's trip follows the high-profile visit earlier this week by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who met with Abrego Garcia amid growing controversy.

Dexter emphasized the constitutional stakes involved, stating, "A legal U.S. resident has had his due process rights ripped away and is now being held indefinitely in a foreign prison. This is not just one family’s nightmare; it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us." Her intent is clear: to confront what she calls a crisis threatening constitutional rights.

Abrego Garcia first entered the United States illegally in 2011. After being issued a deportation order in 2019—in which two judges found probable ties to the MS-13 gang—his case has become a flashpoint. The Trump administration acknowledged in court that his deportation was an administrative error, yet some top former officials maintain that Abrego Garcia is a confirmed MS-13 member and was lawfully removed.

One immigration judge in 2019 ruled that Abrego Garcia had not adequately disproven his alleged MS-13 affiliation and issued a withholding order preventing his removal to El Salvador due to dangers from a rival gang. However, he was deported to El Salvador despite this, an action the Supreme Court later deemed illegal. The Court instructed the government to treat his case as though the deportation never occurred and to facilitate his release from custody.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller defended the ruling from the Trump administration perspective, pointing out that the MS-13 gang's terrorist designation disqualified Abrego Garcia from immigration relief in the U.S.

The case has clearly deepened partisan divides. While Democrats like Dexter highlight Abrego Garcia’s rights and residency, critics, including Republicans and Trump allies, question the rationale behind advocating for a man with alleged gang ties and a history of domestic violence. Republicans have juxtaposed this advocacy against the silence regarding victims such as Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman tragically murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023.

In a pointed public relations move, former President Trump released an image showcasing what are alleged to be MS-13 gang tattoos on Abrego Garcia’s hand and highlighted a 2022 Homeland Security report identifying him as a gang member and suspected human trafficker. Additionally, domestic abuse claims from 2021 by Abrego Garcia’s wife describe a violent relationship marked by physical harm.

To underscore the political battleground over immigration, the White House circulated a split-screen image contrasting dramatic scenes: on one side, President Trump comforting Angel Mom Patty Morin, mother of the murdered Rachel Morin; on the other, Sen. Van Hollen meeting Abrego Garcia in El Salvador. The caption bluntly stated, "We are not the same," emphasizing the stark differences in the parties’ stances.

As this debate intensifies, Dexter’s journey to El Salvador represents yet another chapter in the contentious immigration saga gripping the nation.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner, Kerri Urbahn and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.