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Native

(7,070 posts)
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 04:27 PM Apr 14

Lawmakers push to meet with Salvadoran president to plead case of mistakenly deported man

Source: The Hill

Lawmakers are pushing to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele while he’s in Washington amid broader efforts to secure the return of a Maryland man wrongfully deported to a prison in the Central American nation.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent a letter to El Salvador’s ambassador to the U.S. seeking to arrange a meeting with Bukele, floating plans to visit the prison directly if Kilmar Abrego Garcia is not shortly returned.

“Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia never should have been abducted and illegally deported, and the courts have made clear: the Administration must bring him home, now. However, since the Trump Administration appears to be ignoring these court mandates, we need to take additional action,” Van Hollen said in a statement.

“If Kilmar is not home by midweek – I plan to travel to El Salvador this week to check on his condition and discuss his release.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/international/5247824-bukele-van-hollen-espaillat-washington-meeting/



Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) (chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus) is also trying to meet with Bukele, and they too are requesting that they be allowed to visit in El Salvador as well.
37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Lawmakers push to meet with Salvadoran president to plead case of mistakenly deported man (Original Post) Native Apr 14 OP
Bukele wants a pay day. cbabe Apr 14 #1
As in all kidnappings, if you pay MadameButterfly Apr 15 #28
Ransom. How much do we pay to bring home cbabe Apr 15 #36
People apprehended by dictators like Putin MadameButterfly Apr 15 #37
Congresspeople have to plead with the Salvadorean president because our president is too weak to get Scrivener7 Apr 14 #2
That's the ticket! TRUMP IS WEAK! nt. druidity33 Apr 14 #3
Always. Scrivener7 Apr 14 #4
It likely goes beyond djt's weakness alone. magicarpet Apr 14 #9
Not quite what i was trying to say... druidity33 Apr 14 #13
I was thinking we were paying El Salvadore, not the other way around MadameButterfly Apr 15 #30
But OUR loudly and frequently shouted message should be, "This proves trump's weakness." Scrivener7 Apr 15 #31
I agree! I just thought of that today too. NH Ethylene Apr 14 #11
He would have to admit he was wrong. Or worse, MadameButterfly Apr 15 #29
Bring them all back Cirsium Apr 14 #5
Wouldn't surprise me if TSF made a deal behind the scene that bluestarone Apr 14 #6
I bet the El Salvadorian president would suffer the wrath of 47 if he DID release the prisoner. NH Ethylene Apr 14 #12
Even in a country that small that's not a lot of money Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 14 #17
It's not 47 he has to worry about, it's his boss, Vladimir Putin. Initech Apr 15 #23
Their nation ain't getting the money lonely bird Apr 15 #25
In my perfect world, President Bukele would have delivered Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia..... Brother Buzz Apr 14 #7
In my perfect world Kamala would be president MadameButterfly Apr 15 #32
What's Schumer doing? Mysterian Apr 14 #8
Practicing reading his speeches? jalan48 Apr 14 #15
Schumer was on Chris Hayes a couple of weeks ago, gab13by13 Apr 15 #27
If we don't stop what is happening now there won't be midterms MadameButterfly Apr 15 #33
I want to know what my other Senator is doing. And My Rep. Deep State Witch Apr 14 #10
I don't have to worry what my rep and senators are doing lonely bird Apr 15 #26
I saw a comment today that said tonekat Apr 14 #14
or --- azureblue Apr 14 #16
Does the International Court of Justice have a role here? Liberty Belle Apr 14 #18
We'd be better off appealing to the El Salvadoran people. Crowman2009 Apr 14 #19
El Salvador presidents can only serve one term mountain grammy Apr 14 #20
They might refuse to allow him to go to the prison flamingdem Apr 15 #21
Yeah, it looks like Bukele is a role model for Trump on how to end a democracy MadameButterfly Apr 15 #35
Wouldn't be surprised if Trump demands they be prosecuted under the Logan Act onenote Apr 15 #22
We hope it would fail in court MadameButterfly Apr 15 #34
Democrats need more True Blue American Apr 15 #24

cbabe

(4,931 posts)
36. Ransom. How much do we pay to bring home
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 10:45 AM
Apr 15

people from other unfriendly places?

Or prisoner exchanges?

He’s best buddies with drug gangs. Send him some of our bad guys.

MadameButterfly

(2,919 posts)
37. People apprehended by dictators like Putin
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 10:49 AM
Apr 15

not hand delivered. And who has the power to make any such trades?
Trump could get this guy back with a word.

Scrivener7

(55,552 posts)
2. Congresspeople have to plead with the Salvadorean president because our president is too weak to get
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 04:42 PM
Apr 14

the wrongly deported man home.

magicarpet

(18,128 posts)
9. It likely goes beyond djt's weakness alone.
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 05:56 PM
Apr 14

Djt sees a money making proposition here for himself. By transfering domestic White, Black, Tan, and Brown prisoners to slave labor prisons djt might be able to score a nice kickback for himself.

Then on top of that general prisoner exchange from federal penitentiaries - if illegal aliens were transfered to El Salvador and put to work in slave industrial manufacturing - a kickback killing $$$$ could be made. Djt mentioned repeatedly that 11 million illegal aliens roam the USA. If even a portion of those people were rounded up that would produce a big windfall of dollars - ripe for corruption practices. Djt's cup of tea.

I give you (El Salvador) the prisoners as slave labor - you give me a nice kickback for the labor these slaves provide. One hand washes the other as we both get filthy rich.

druidity33

(6,712 posts)
13. Not quite what i was trying to say...
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 08:00 PM
Apr 14

i think the best way to get Trump to do something is to make him think he's weak or stupid for not doing it.

"He's so weak he can't even get the tinpot dictator to give up one construction worker!"

Anything to get Kilmar back.



MadameButterfly

(2,919 posts)
30. I was thinking we were paying El Salvadore, not the other way around
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 09:06 AM
Apr 15

I'm aware of the prison, but not a whole slave labor enterprise. Since Salvadorans make so much less than Americans, it would take a lot of slave labor to make more than just hiring Salvadorans with real pay, and adding up to anything that pays us. They couldn't make enough money to make a dent in the military transports Trump is using at millions of dollars more than it would cost to just send a passenger plane.

I don't think this is about making money. It will be costly to round up, transport, imprison, and then pay higher wages to Americans back here if they can even find anyone to do the work the immigrants were doing. But somehow for appearances, or hate, Trump thinks its worth it.

NH Ethylene

(31,109 posts)
11. I agree! I just thought of that today too.
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 07:52 PM
Apr 14

This needs to be hammered!! Trump is too weak to get the prisoner home and others have to step in to rescue the man.

MadameButterfly

(2,919 posts)
29. He would have to admit he was wrong. Or worse,
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 08:59 AM
Apr 15

as another post pointed out, we would get a first hand report of what it's like to be in that prison.

bluestarone

(19,712 posts)
6. Wouldn't surprise me if TSF made a deal behind the scene that
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 05:28 PM
Apr 14

He will make it right if the president if he REFUSES no matter what.

NH Ethylene

(31,109 posts)
12. I bet the El Salvadorian president would suffer the wrath of 47 if he DID release the prisoner.
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 07:54 PM
Apr 14

Their nation is getting 6 million a year; I doubt they would do anything to jeopardize that.

lonely bird

(2,282 posts)
25. Their nation ain't getting the money
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 07:14 AM
Apr 15

Their “coolest dictator in the world” is getting it.

Brother Buzz

(38,330 posts)
7. In my perfect world, President Bukele would have delivered Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.....
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 05:30 PM
Apr 14

Back to the USA on his flight; no harm, no foul.

I can dream, can’t I?

gab13by13

(27,907 posts)
27. Schumer was on Chris Hayes a couple of weeks ago,
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 07:57 AM
Apr 15

I listened to him say that his strategy was to let Krasnov burn it all down and then beat them in the mid-terms. I suspect that is why Schumer and the other members of the Timid 10 voted with Magats to pass the CR, it could look bad for them politically to not pass the CR.

He also pushed his new book on Chris Haye's show.

Every Congressional Democrat should be doing town halls, and Jeffries and Schumer should be pushing and organizing that.

Bernie and AOC recently goy 20 thousand people and 36 thousand people to show up to their event in bright red Magat areas.

If Democrats did town halls the people would come. Town halls would help Democrats control the narrative.

MadameButterfly

(2,919 posts)
33. If we don't stop what is happening now there won't be midterms
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 09:35 AM
Apr 15

It's hard to believe it's only been 3 months. Does Schumer imagine that freedom of the press and protection of voting systems will be in place if we sit back and let them burn it down?

The whole reason Trump doesn't really care what voters think anymore is he thinks there won't be elections.

Time to get a new minority leader.

Deep State Witch

(11,760 posts)
10. I want to know what my other Senator is doing. And My Rep.
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 06:56 PM
Apr 14

I live one town up from Beltsville, where Mr. Abrego Garcia lives. We drive through there all of the time. I've probably seen him and his family at Costco, or at Yia-Yia's Kitchen in Beltsville. Great for Van Hollen. I'm very proud of his leadership on this issue. But where the heck is Senator Alsobrooks? She was the Prince Georges County Executive before this - Abrego Garcia was her constituent. Where is Glenn Ivey, our Rep? He should be going on the plane with Van Hollen!

lonely bird

(2,282 posts)
26. I don't have to worry what my rep and senators are doing
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 07:16 AM
Apr 15

Dave Joyce is doing nothing.

Bernie Moreno is more worried about the Cleveland State wrestling program and Husted is an idiot.

Why, yes, all three are Republicans here in Ohio-bama.

tonekat

(2,210 posts)
14. I saw a comment today that said
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 08:20 PM
Apr 14

"Dictators don't admit mistakes". He'd have to admit to a mistake, which he's not likely to do unless considerable force was brought upon him.

azureblue

(2,412 posts)
16. or ---
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 09:42 PM
Apr 14

Mexico swoops in and grabs Garcia, and brings him to Mexico. What is Trump gonna do about that? Nada. Since he said it's out of his hands, then it's a matter of Mexico and El Salvador. Then Mexico can bring the rest of his family to Mexico..

Liberty Belle

(9,660 posts)
18. Does the International Court of Justice have a role here?
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 10:22 PM
Apr 14

El Salvador needs to be made a pariah for keeping someone wrongfully deported and refusing to return them (and frankly for their mistreatment of all prisoners there).

Is El Salvador a participating member?

Crowman2009

(3,070 posts)
19. We'd be better off appealing to the El Salvadoran people.
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 10:40 PM
Apr 14

Especially since plenty of their own citizens are being wrongfully imprisoned their as well. Appealing to this bearded cryptobitch is a waste of time.

mountain grammy

(27,756 posts)
20. El Salvador presidents can only serve one term
Mon Apr 14, 2025, 11:44 PM
Apr 14

Bukele ran for a second and won in a landslide.

Just some things I've been hearing.

I can't get Leo Ryan out of my head. Hope Van Hollen knows what he's doing.

flamingdem

(40,398 posts)
21. They might refuse to allow him to go to the prison
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 12:35 AM
Apr 15

He needs to go with a large contingent.

This may not in the end lead to Garcia's release. Sadly he may not even be alive
but there are many more who could suffer his fate if nothing is done!

MadameButterfly

(2,919 posts)
35. Yeah, it looks like Bukele is a role model for Trump on how to end a democracy
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 09:53 AM
Apr 15
https://www.wola.org/analysis/el-salvador-election-integrity-under-scrutiny/

And I too worry about the safety of American politicians who make this trip. Normally it would be too great a scandal if something nefarious happened, but these aren't normal times.

onenote

(45,181 posts)
22. Wouldn't be surprised if Trump demands they be prosecuted under the Logan Act
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 12:36 AM
Apr 15

It would fail in court, but that wouldn't stop Trump from demanding it.

MadameButterfly

(2,919 posts)
34. We hope it would fail in court
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 09:41 AM
Apr 15

SCOTUS is scared of Trump so who knows what they'd do. Ironic we even need to worry about this after Trump broke Logan act repeatedly.

True Blue American

(18,502 posts)
24. Democrats need more
Tue Apr 15, 2025, 01:49 AM
Apr 15

Than Van Hollen to confront this Dictator. Even a few Republicans if there is one.
Speaker Johnson actually stood up on Palm Sunday and spewed lies one after another.

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