NEW: Democrat Senator Embroiled In Scandal Involving Deported Illegal
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is facing growing backlash over what critics call a glaring double standard—aggressively advocating for the return of a deported illegal immigrant from El Salvador while remaining largely passive in the high-profile case of Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother brutally murdered by another illegal immigrant from the same country.
On Monday, Van Hollen announced he has requested a meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to discuss the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident currently detained in El Salvador’s notorious high-security prison. The Senator also said he may travel to El Salvador this week if the matter is not resolved.
“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,” Van Hollen said in a statement Monday. “However, since the Trump Administration appears to be ignoring these court mandates, we need to take additional action.”
“That’s why I’ve requested to meet with President Bukele during his trip to the United States, and – 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,” he added.
WASHINGTON, DC – February 10, 2025: U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) speaks at a protest in support of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, standing with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Cal).
According to court records, Abrego Garcia had lived in Maryland under protected status since 2019. In March, ICE agents detained and deported him despite a federal judge’s ruling that blocked the removal.
That decision was later upheld unanimously by the U.S. Supreme Court. Yet the Biden-appointed judge’s order has not been enforced, and Abrego Garcia remains held in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center.
Van Hollen has called the deportation “a clear violation of the law,” pushing for immediate corrective action. But his sudden urgency in this case has reopened old wounds for many Marylanders still mourning Rachel Morin.
Washington D.C., USA – April 5, 2025: Hands Off Rally at the Washington Monument. Protester holding a sign to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia home who was deported.
Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five, was raped and murdered in August 2023 while jogging on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Her body was discovered hidden in a culvert.
Investigators eventually linked her killing to Victor Martinez-Hernandez, a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador. He was arrested nearly a year later through DNA evidence and security footage, and convicted just this Monday of first-degree murder, rape, and kidnapping.
Hey @ChrisVanHollen,
Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother, was actually your constituent and she was murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member.
Now, you’re now fighting to return one to the United States. https://t.co/s4ttLlwu6y pic.twitter.com/5rSdh25MGi
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
On the same day Van Hollen threatened to fly to El Salvador for Abrego Garcia, Martinez-Hernandez was found guilty in a Maryland courtroom. The jury deliberated less than an hour before returning the conviction.
Van Hollen’s response to the Morin case was far more muted. After Martinez-Hernandez’s arrest, the senator issued a short written statement: “My heart breaks for the Morin family.” He went on to say “they deserve action” and “our immigration system is broken,” blaming Republicans for stalling reform.
Now, with Abrego Garcia facing incarceration in El Salvador, Van Hollen has gone into overdrive. He’s called for meetings, cited court orders, and threatened to personally “check on [Kilmar’s] condition” in a foreign prison.
President Bukele is in the U.S. to meet with officials from the Trump administration, with the focus reportedly on gang enforcement and regional security. Whether Van Hollen will actually meet with Bukele—or make good on his pledge to travel to El Salvador—remains to be seen.