Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) held a press briefing on Friday after meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador.
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00:00It's good to be home.
00:22Now we need to end the illegal abduction
00:27of Kilmar Arbego-Garcia and bring him home, too.
00:35We're joined by his wife, Jennifer,
00:39by his mother, Cecilia,
00:42by his brother, Cesar,
00:44and thank all of the rest of you
00:47who are joining us in solidarity
00:49with the Constitution and Kilmar.
00:53Look, I'm a little sleep-deprived.
00:57And I want to be as clear as possible
01:00about what this is about
01:02and what it's not about.
01:04So I'm going to read the remarks
01:07that I wrote on the plane ride home.
01:10As the federal courts have said,
01:13we need to bring Mr. Abrego-Garcia home
01:17to protect his constitutional rights
01:20to due process.
01:22And it's also important
01:26that people understand
01:27this case is not just about one man.
01:30It's about protecting the constitutional rights
01:33of everybody who resides
01:35in the United States.
01:39If you deny the constitutional rights
01:43of one man,
01:45you threaten the constitutional rights
01:47and due process
01:49for everyone else in America.
01:51Yes.
01:52The Fourth Circuit put it very clearly
01:55in its strong opinion yesterday.
01:58And I quote,
01:59It is difficult in some cases
02:01to get to the very heart of the matter.
02:05But in this case,
02:06it is not hard at all.
02:09The government,
02:10in this case the Trump administration,
02:12is asserting a right
02:14to stash away residents
02:15of this country
02:17in foreign prisons
02:18without the semblance
02:20of due process
02:21that is the foundation
02:22of our constitutional order.
02:25Further,
02:26it claims in essence
02:28that because it has rid itself
02:30of custody,
02:32that there is nothing
02:32that can be done.
02:34This should be shocking
02:36not only to judges,
02:38but to the intuitive sense
02:39of liberty
02:40that Americans far removed
02:43from the courthouses
02:43still hold dear.
02:47They summed up the issue
02:49at stake perfectly.
02:52And that's why the Supreme Court,
02:54in a nine-to-nothing decision,
02:56ordered the Trump administration
02:58to facilitate the return
02:59of Mr. Abrego Garcia.
03:03Now,
03:04the Trump administration
03:05wants to flat-out lie
03:06about what this case
03:08is about.
03:10They want to change
03:11the subject.
03:12They want to make it
03:13about something else.
03:16And they are clouding
03:17the orders
03:18from the federal district court,
03:20the Fourth Circuit court,
03:23and the Supreme Court
03:24to facilitate his return.
03:28That's why I traveled
03:30to El Salvador,
03:32leaving here on Wednesday.
03:34And I want to express
03:36my gratitude
03:36to members of my family
03:39and members of my staff
03:41who agree
03:41that we all
03:42must be prepared
03:44to take risks
03:45because of the current risk
03:47to our Constitution itself.
03:50In addition
03:51to having a variety
03:54of discussions
03:55on bilateral issues
03:57between the United States
03:58and El Salvador,
03:59I had two main goals.
04:01One was to urge
04:04the government
04:05of El Salvador
04:06not to be complicit
04:08in the illegal abduction
04:11and detention
04:12of Mr. Abrego Garcia,
04:15and to release him.
04:17I made that request
04:18directly to the vice president
04:20of El Salvador.
04:21The president was out of country
04:22at the time,
04:24and I had previously reported
04:26on that conversation.
04:27My principal mission
04:29was to meet
04:31with Kilmer Abrego Garcia.
04:34I told his wife Jennifer
04:36and his family
04:37that I would do everything
04:39in my power
04:40to make that happen.
04:42And last night,
04:44at about 6.40 p.m.
04:46El Salvador time,
04:488.45 p.m.
04:49here on the East Coast,
04:51I called Jennifer
04:52to tell her
04:54that I had met
04:55with Kilmer.
04:57And I told her
04:58what he said to me,
05:00which was first
05:01and foremost
05:01that he missed her
05:04and his family.
05:06And as he said that,
05:07you could see a tear.
05:09Go down his cheek.
05:18Now, getting a meeting
05:20with Kilmer
05:22was not easy.
05:24On Wednesday,
05:25I met with the vice president
05:26of El Salvador
05:27and asked if I could
05:28meet with him.
05:29The answer was no.
05:32I asked if I returned
05:34the following week
05:35whether I could meet with him.
05:38The answer was no.
05:40I asked if I could
05:42call him on the phone.
05:44The answer was no.
05:46I asked if his wife Jennifer
05:47could call him
05:48on the phone.
05:49The answer was no.
05:52No to his wife.
05:53No to his mother.
05:55No to his lawyers.
05:57So the following day,
05:59which was yesterday,
06:00I decided to give it
06:01another try
06:02by driving to Seacott.
06:05Seacott is the notorious prison
06:07where Kilmer was taken
06:09when he was abducted.
06:11I was accompanied
06:12by a lawyer
06:13for Kilmer's wife Jennifer
06:16and mother Cecilia
06:18and Chris Newsom.
06:19About three kilometers
06:21outside of Seacott.
06:26We were pulled over
06:27by soldiers.
06:29You can see the rest
06:31of the traffic
06:32was allowed to go by.
06:33We were pulled over
06:34by soldiers
06:35and told that we were not
06:37allowed to proceed
06:38any farther.
06:39When I asked why,
06:41I was told that
06:42they had orders
06:43not to allow us
06:44to go any further.
06:46When I asked them
06:47if they knew anything
06:48about the condition
06:49of Mr. Abrego Garcia,
06:51they said no.
06:53And so much later
06:57in the afternoon
06:57I was actually
06:58getting ready
06:59to catch a plane
07:01out of San Salvador
07:03back here later
07:04yesterday evening.
07:06And all of a sudden
07:07I got word
07:09that I would be
07:11allowed to meet
07:12with Kilmer Abrego Garcia.
07:15And they brought him
07:16to the hotel
07:17where I was staying.
07:20And after that meeting
07:22as I said
07:23I called his wife
07:24Jennifer
07:25to report on some
07:26of the news
07:27of that meeting.
07:29And now I'm going
07:30to report to
07:31all of you
07:32about
07:34our discussion.
07:36When I told him
07:38that his wife
07:38and family
07:39sent their love
07:41and were fighting
07:43for Kilmer
07:44to return home
07:46every day
07:46he said that
07:49he was worried
07:50about all of you.
07:52That was his response.
07:53How are you
07:54dealing with
07:56this horrible
07:56ordeal
07:58and nightmare
07:58for the family?
08:00He said that
08:01thinking of you
08:02members of his family
08:05is what gave him
08:05the strength
08:06to persevere
08:07to keep going
08:09day to day
08:09even under
08:11these awful
08:12circumstances.
08:14He spoke
08:15several times
08:17about
08:18your five-year-old
08:20son
08:20who has autism.
08:23Five-year-old son
08:24who was in
08:25the car
08:26in Maryland
08:27when
08:29Kilmer
08:30was pulled over
08:31by U.S.
08:33government agents
08:34and handcuffed.
08:36His five-year-old son
08:37was in the car
08:39at that time.
08:42He told me
08:42that he was
08:43taken to Baltimore
08:44first.
08:46I assume
08:47that was
08:48the Baltimore
08:48detention center.
08:51He asked
08:52to make
08:53a phone call
08:53from there
08:55to let people
08:56know
08:57what had happened
08:58to it.
09:00But he was
09:02denied that opportunity.
09:05He said
09:06he was later
09:07taken with
09:07some others
09:08from Baltimore
09:09to a detention center
09:10in Texas.
09:12And some point
09:13thereafter,
09:14I don't know
09:15whether it was
09:16a period of hours
09:17or days,
09:19he was handcuffed,
09:21shackled,
09:22and put on a plane
09:23along with some others
09:24where they couldn't
09:26see out of the windows.
09:27There was no way
09:27to see
09:28where they were
09:29going in the plane.
09:31They didn't know
09:32for sure
09:33where they were going.
09:35They landed
09:36in
09:37El Salvador
09:38and he was
09:39taken to
09:40Seacott
09:41prison.
09:42He was placed
09:44in a cell
09:44with,
09:46if I recall correctly,
09:47and don't want me to,
09:48of about 25 other
09:50prisoners
09:51at Seacott.
09:53He said
09:54he was not afraid
09:55of the other prisoners
09:56in his immediate cell,
09:59but that he was traumatized
10:00by being at Seacott
10:02and fearful
10:04of many of the prisoners
10:06in other cell blocks
10:07who called out to him
10:09who called out to him
10:09and taunted him
10:11in various
10:12ways.
10:16He told me,
10:18and this was yesterday,
10:20that eight days ago,
10:21so I guess nine days ago
10:23from today,
10:23he was moved
10:25to another detention center
10:26in Santa Ana,
10:29where the conditions
10:31are better,
10:33but he said
10:34despite the better
10:35conditions,
10:36he still has no access
10:38to any news
10:40from the outside world
10:41and no ability
10:43to communicate
10:46with anybody
10:47in the outside world.
10:49His conversation
10:51with me
10:51was the first communication
10:53he'd had
10:53with anybody
10:54outside
10:55of prison
10:57since he was abducted.
11:00He said
11:02he felt very sad
11:03about being
11:04in a prison
11:05because he had not
11:06committed
11:07any chronics.
11:09When I asked him
11:10what was the one thing
11:12he would ask for
11:13in addition
11:15to his freedom,
11:17he said
11:17he wanted to talk
11:18to his wife.
11:20I told him
11:23I would work
11:24very hard
11:25to make that happen.
11:28I told him
11:29that in addition
11:30to his family,
11:32that all of you
11:33who are here today
11:35were fighting
11:36to bring him home.
11:38I told him
11:39that his brothers
11:41and sisters
11:42in his union,
11:43the Sheet Metal Workers Union,
11:45were fighting
11:46to bring him home.
11:50That brought a smile
11:51to his face.
11:53I told him
11:53that millions
11:54of Americans
11:56understand
11:57that what is happening
11:58to him
12:00is a threat
12:01to their own
12:02constitutional rights.
12:04I told him
12:05about the decisions
12:06of the federal courts,
12:07the district court,
12:08the fourth circuit court,
12:09the supreme court.
12:11And I think
12:12that in addition
12:13to knowing
12:14that his family
12:15was fighting for him,
12:17all of that
12:17gave him strength,
12:18the fact that
12:19all of you here
12:19were fighting
12:20for him.
12:23I want to say
12:24something
12:24about the Trump
12:27administration's efforts
12:28to change
12:29the conversation
12:30about what this case
12:32is about.
12:34This case
12:35is about
12:35upholding
12:36constitutional rights
12:38for Abrego Garcia
12:40and for every American.
12:43The president,
12:45President Trump
12:45and the Trump administration,
12:46wants to say
12:47that those
12:47who are fighting
12:48to stand up
12:49for our Constitution
12:50don't want to fight
12:51gang violence.
12:54That is an outright lie.
12:57That is a big,
12:59big lie.
13:01I, for one,
13:03have been fighting
13:04against transnational
13:05gang violence,
13:06especially MS-13,
13:08for over 20 years.
13:10Probably for longer
13:11than Donald Trump
13:12ever uttered
13:13those words,
13:15MS-13.
13:17Over 20 years ago,
13:19I worked to establish
13:20a anti-gang task force,
13:24a regional anti-gang task force,
13:26in the Maryland,
13:28Washington, D.C.,
13:29and Virginia area.
13:31I did it
13:31in a bipartisan way
13:32with then-Congressmen
13:34Frank Wolf
13:35and Tom Davis.
13:38And we have made
13:39substantial progress
13:41in this region.
13:42We have a long way
13:43still to go,
13:44but those efforts
13:45have resulted
13:48in progress.
13:50So I say to the president
13:51of the Trump administration,
13:53if you want to make claims
13:55about Mr. Abrego Garcia
13:57and MS-13,
13:58you should present them
14:00in the court,
14:02not over social media.
14:04Not at press conferences
14:08where you just
14:08rattle stuff off.
14:10Because here is what
14:12the federal district court
14:13judge said
14:14about exactly this issue.
14:16This is Judge Zippis.
14:18So she is the
14:19federal district court judge
14:21in the district of Maryland
14:22where the case first appeared.
14:27This is a quote
14:27from her opinion.
14:29Defendants,
14:30and in this case,
14:31this is the Trump administration
14:32she's referred to,
14:33have offered no evidence,
14:36have offered no evidence
14:39linking Abrego Garcia
14:40to MS-13
14:41or any terrorist activity.
14:45And vague allegations
14:46of gang association alone
14:48do not supersede
14:50the express protections
14:51offered under the INA,
14:54unquote.
14:55She emphasized this point,
14:57and I'm quoting,
14:58no evidence before the court
15:01connects Abrego Garcia
15:02to MS-13
15:03or any other criminal organization,
15:06unquote.
15:08In other words,
15:09put up in court
15:10or shut up.
15:11What the Trump administration
15:21did admit in court
15:23was that
15:24Kilmer Abrego Garcia
15:26has been mistakenly detained.
15:29They called it a, quote,
15:32administrative error,
15:34unquote.
15:35An administrative error
15:37that has resulted in him
15:39being abducted
15:41off the streets of Maryland
15:44and put into prison
15:45in El Salvador.
15:47It has deprived him
15:49of his personal freedom
15:50and liberty.
15:51But rather than fix
15:53this grievous error
15:54that they agreed
15:56had been made in court,
15:58what did the Trump
15:58administration do?
16:00They upgraded
16:02and fired,
16:04fired the lawyer
16:07who told the truth
16:08to the court.
16:09That's what they did.
16:10They didn't fix the error.
16:12They fired the lawyer
16:13who told the truth
16:15about this awful,
16:16egregious mistake.
16:19And now,
16:19despite the fact
16:21that the Supreme Court
16:22has ordered the Trump
16:23administration
16:23to fix that error
16:25that has deprived
16:29Mr. Abrego Garcia
16:30of his liberty,
16:31they are flaunting,
16:32they, the administration,
16:33the Trump administration,
16:34are flaunting the court order
16:35to facilitate its return.
16:38And the government
16:38of El Salvador
16:39is complicit
16:41in that illegal scheme.
16:43So we need to hold
16:45both of them accountable
16:46and we can talk more
16:47about how to do that.
16:49But as I said
16:50at the beginning,
16:52this case
16:53is not only
16:54about one man,
16:56as important
16:56as that is.
16:58It is about
16:58protecting fundamental
17:00freedoms
17:01and the fundamental
17:02principle
17:02in the Constitution
17:03for due process
17:05that protects
17:06everybody
17:06who resides
17:07in America.
17:09This should not be
17:10an issue
17:11for Republicans
17:12or Democrats.
17:13This is an issue
17:14for every American
17:16who cares
17:16about our Constitution,
17:18who cares
17:18about personal liberty,
17:20who cares
17:20about due process,
17:22and who cares
17:22about what makes
17:24America so different,
17:27which is adherence
17:27to all of those things.
17:29This is an American issue.
17:32Now I just want
17:33to take a moment.
17:34I hadn't planned
17:35to do this,
17:36but as I was
17:37landing on the airplane
17:39I had a transcript
17:40of some questions
17:42President Trump
17:43was asked
17:43at the White House
17:45today
17:45about what
17:47I would call
17:48Margaritagate.
17:50I don't know if you guys
17:51have been following this.
17:52Yes, yes.
17:52President Boutalin,
17:55you know,
17:56after I met
17:56with Kilmar,
17:58did this tweet
17:58showing us
18:00at a table
18:01with these
18:02two glasses.
18:04So here's
18:05what happened.
18:07When I first
18:08sat down
18:09with Kilmar,
18:10we just had glasses
18:11of water
18:11on the table.
18:12I think maybe
18:13some clump.
18:15And as we
18:16were talking,
18:17one of the government
18:18people came over
18:19and deposited
18:22two other glasses
18:23on the table
18:25with ice
18:26and I don't know
18:27if it was salt
18:28or sugar
18:28around the top,
18:30but they looked
18:31like margaritas.
18:33And if you look
18:34at the one
18:34they put in front
18:35of Kilmar,
18:36it actually had
18:37a little less liquid
18:38than the one
18:38in front of me
18:40to try to make it
18:41look, I assume,
18:42like he drank at it.
18:45Let me just be
18:46very clear.
18:47Neither of us
18:48touched the drinks
18:49that were in front of us.
18:51And if you want
18:52to play a little
18:53Sherlock Holmes,
18:53I'll tell you
18:54how you can know that.
18:56So if you look
18:57at the video
18:57or the picture
18:58I sent out
18:59from the beginning
18:59of our meeting,
19:00you'll see
19:00there are no glasses
19:01on the table.
19:04So you'll see
19:04in later videos
19:05they are on the table.
19:08But they made
19:09a little mistake
19:09for some people
19:10who are very careful,
19:11right?
19:11If you sip out
19:12of one of those glasses,
19:14some of whatever
19:15it was,
19:15salt or sugar,
19:17would disappear.
19:18You would see a gal.
19:19There's no gal.
19:21Nobody drank
19:22any margaritas
19:23or sugar water
19:24or whatever it is.
19:25But this is a lesson.
19:26It's the lengths
19:27that President Buckele
19:29will do
19:30to deceive people
19:32about what's going on.
19:34And it also
19:35shows the lengths
19:36that the Trump administration
19:37or the president
19:38will go to.
19:39Because when he was
19:40asked about a reporter
19:41about this,
19:42he just went along
19:43for the ride.
19:43So the White House
19:46and the president
19:48have been lying
19:48about this case
19:49from the beginning.
19:51They've been trying
19:51to change the subject
19:52from the beginning.
19:55As I said,
19:57and the courts
19:57have said,
19:59from the Supreme Court
20:00to the Fourth Circuit
20:01to the District Court,
20:02what this is about
20:03is adhering
20:05to the Constitution,
20:06to the right
20:07of due process.
20:08And that's why
20:09we say,
20:11bring Kilmar
20:12whole.
20:13So he can be afforded
20:15his rights
20:16under the Constitution.
20:17That answers what this is about.
20:19Senator,
20:19does Kilmar have any idea
20:23the firestorm
20:24his deportation
20:26has caused
20:26here in America?
20:27So I told him.
20:29That was the first he'd heard.
20:31You can address the camera.
20:32Sure.
20:32The first he heard
20:34is that after I told him
20:35that his family
20:37was fighting for him,
20:38I told him
20:39everybody else
20:40that was fighting for him,
20:41including his union
20:42members,
20:43but also people
20:44from across Maryland,
20:46in fact,
20:46across the country
20:47who recognize
20:48that depriving Kilmar
20:50of his constitutional rights
20:53is a threat
20:53to everybody
20:54who resides
20:54in America.
20:56He had not heard that.
20:57I believe
20:58that gave him
20:59additional strength.
21:00Senator,
21:01what did Abrigo Garcia
21:03say that the officials
21:04in El Salvador
21:05told him about
21:06why he was sent
21:07to that prison
21:08and how long
21:08he would be there?
21:09They haven't told him
21:10anything about
21:11why he was sent.
21:12Or how long
21:13he would be there?
21:14They didn't tell him
21:14anything about that.
21:15In fact,
21:17I asked the vice president
21:18exactly that question.
21:19Why is he here?
21:20Is he violating
21:21any laws
21:22in El Salvador?
21:23Do you have any
21:25proof that he's
21:26committed a crime?
21:27No.
21:28Why is he here?
21:30Because the Trump
21:30administration
21:31is paying us
21:32to keep him here.
21:33Did he send in
21:34the word
21:34from other migrants
21:35that were also there
21:36that were also deported
21:37to that prison?
21:38Did he say
21:39what he had heard
21:40from others
21:40who were also deported
21:41to that prison?
21:42He only,
21:43he did not know
21:44about what was happening
21:45in the outside world.
21:46Did you have any sense
21:47to tell him?
21:47Let me just say,
21:49at Seacott,
21:49I want to be really clear,
21:51at Seacott,
21:52they don't let
21:52any of the prisoners
21:54have access
21:55to the outside world.
21:57That's one of the
21:58conditions,
22:00one of the notorious
22:00parts of that prison,
22:02which, by the way,
22:04is a blatant violation
22:05of international law,
22:06as I said when I was...
22:07Senator, Senator,
22:09Senator, you're the
22:10first person that can see
22:11a person that was
22:12in Seacott
22:13and that left Seacott
22:14even for a few minutes.
22:15What did he say
22:16about how it is being there?
22:17Because he's the first
22:18prisoner from Seacott
22:19that was outside,
22:21ever.
22:21Oh, I,
22:22as I think I said,
22:24I mean,
22:24he said the,
22:26what he said was that
22:28he,
22:30it was his best guess
22:32that most of the cells
22:34were packed
22:35with about 100 people.
22:36I asked him why.
22:38He said when they take
22:39a roll call
22:39during the day,
22:42people have to call out
22:43their names
22:44from different cells.
22:46As I said,
22:46in his cell,
22:48I believe there were
22:48about 25 people
22:50until he was moved.
22:52But,
22:53as I said,
22:54while he wasn't fearful
22:55of the other prisoners
22:56in his own cell,
22:57he was fearful
22:59about the taunts
23:00that he received
23:01from other prisoners
23:03in Seacott.
23:05Senator,
23:06can you walk us through?
23:07Senator,
23:08what do you think
23:10you've achieved
23:11with this trip
23:11and what's next
23:13in terms of getting him
23:14actually released
23:15and sent back to the United States?
23:16Well,
23:16the first thing
23:17was to accomplish
23:19what his mother
23:19and family
23:20were really desperate
23:22to learn,
23:23which is that
23:23he's alive
23:26and heard a thing
23:27about him
23:29that for someone
23:31who's,
23:32you know,
23:33he's obviously
23:34in a terrible situation.
23:35As I said,
23:36he's experienced trauma.
23:39He said he's sad
23:40every day.
23:42But,
23:42I think
23:43this persistence
23:45resulted in
23:46having this chance
23:47to meet with him,
23:49to begin to get
23:50a little bit
23:51of his story.
23:53And I think
23:53it is the first step
23:54to ultimately
23:56bringing him home
23:57as the Constitution
23:59requires.
24:00Senator,
24:01Senator,
24:02Senator.
24:03Did you have a sense
24:04of his health,
24:06his well-being?
24:06Did you sense,
24:07did you get any indication
24:08that he'd been abused
24:09at Seacott?
24:10I did not get
24:11that sense.
24:13Look,
24:13you never know,
24:14but I asked him
24:16if he was okay.
24:18He said yes.
24:19He said he has
24:21a blood pressure condition.
24:23He has seen a doctor.
24:25So,
24:26you know,
24:27on a very cursory
24:28examination,
24:31he appeared okay.
24:31Now,
24:32I will say,
24:32just to be clear,
24:34there was some
24:35negotiation
24:36about the terms
24:37of this meeting,
24:38and he was,
24:41we were kind of
24:42surrounded by
24:43video cameras.
24:45So,
24:46I do want to,
24:46I do want to say
24:47that that was the
24:48setting he was in.
24:50I should also just say,
24:52you know,
24:53I mentioned the
24:53fake margarita.
24:56They actually wanted
24:57to have the meeting
24:58by the side
25:00of the pool.
25:01Oh,
25:01just right.
25:04I mean,
25:04this is a guy
25:05who's been in Seacott.
25:06This is a guy
25:06who's been detained.
25:07They want to create
25:08this appearance
25:10that life was just
25:11lovely for Kilmore,
25:13which of course
25:14is a big thing.
25:14Senator,
25:15can I ask you,
25:16have you been
25:16having any conversations
25:18over the course
25:18of the last 48 hours?
25:19I know you've been
25:20busy in El Salvador
25:21with Trump
25:22administration officials.
25:24Was there any
25:24indication,
25:25maybe with the
25:26administration,
25:26that they were more
25:27flexible than what
25:28they were saying
25:29publicly?
25:30I have not.
25:31I did have a meeting
25:32with folks at the
25:34American Embassy
25:34there.
25:36And I really want
25:37to applaud them
25:38and every member
25:40of the Foreign Service
25:40and State Department
25:41in El Salvador
25:42and everywhere
25:43around the world.
25:44I co-chair
25:45the Foreign Service
25:45Caucus,
25:47and I have a deep
25:48appreciation for what
25:50they do.
25:51I ask them
25:52if they have received
25:53any instruction
25:54from Washington
25:55to help facilitate
25:56the release
25:58of Kilmore.
25:59the answer
26:00was no.
26:01I ask them
26:02if they had made
26:02any attempt
26:03to reach out
26:04to me.
26:05The answer
26:06was no.
26:07So it's very clear
26:08that the President
26:11and the Trump
26:11administration
26:12are blatantly,
26:13flagrantly,
26:15disagreeing with,
26:19defying the order
26:20from the Supreme
26:21Court.
26:21Senator,
26:22why are you
26:22going to talk
26:24about who
26:24from the
26:25Salvadorian government
26:26contacted you
26:27to facilitate
26:28this meeting?
26:29You mentioned
26:30that there were
26:30terms associated
26:31with the meeting.
26:33Were you told
26:33not to reveal
26:34any details
26:35from the meeting
26:36until you came
26:36back to the United
26:37States?
26:37And were you
26:38at all concerned
26:38for your safety
26:39in and around
26:40this meeting
26:41taking place
26:41or at any point
26:42during your time
26:43in El Salvador?
26:43So I was not
26:44concerned about
26:45my safety
26:46at this meeting.
26:48And I will say,
26:49you know,
26:50obviously there's
26:51a lot of uncertainty
26:52when you're approached
26:53by soldiers
26:54and have your car
26:56pulled over
26:57to the side
26:57of a road
26:58and told you
26:58can't go any further.
27:00But I will say
27:01that the soldiers
27:01acted professionally
27:02in their encounter
27:05with me.
27:06They had their orders.
27:08They implemented
27:08their orders.
27:10In terms of,
27:12I'm sorry,
27:12what was the...
27:13about the meeting?
27:13How the meeting
27:14came to be?
27:14Who contacted you?
27:15So the meeting,
27:18they reached out
27:19to say that it would be
27:21the Salvadorian government.
27:23Look, in El Salvador,
27:25everything happens
27:26because what Kaylee
27:27says it can happen.
27:28And if you look
27:29at the video
27:30he sent out
27:30right afterwards
27:31with the fake margaritas,
27:34you can see
27:35that all of that
27:35was the setup.
27:37So that's why.
27:38And as to how
27:39I was notified,
27:40their message
27:40was transmitted to me
27:42through the embassy.
27:44Senator,
27:44can I ask,
27:46there's been a...
27:47Senator...
27:48Right here
27:49and then I'll go right there.
27:49The response
27:51from Republicans
27:52to your visit
27:52is that you care
27:54more to meet
27:55with Abrego Garcia
27:56than you do
27:57with Rachel Morin,
27:58who is the mother
27:59of a woman,
27:59a Maryland woman
28:00who died
28:00in your state.
28:02What is your response
28:03to that criticism
28:04specifically?
28:05Well, my response
28:06is that my heart
28:07goes out
28:08to the family
28:09of Rachel Morin.
28:12As I said
28:13at the time,
28:14my heart breaks
28:15for what happened
28:16to them.
28:17That should not happen
28:17to any family
28:19in America.
28:21And I am very glad
28:23that a court of law
28:26convicted her killer
28:28and is going to punish
28:30her killer
28:30in a court of law.
28:31The reason we have
28:32courts of law
28:33are to punish the guilty
28:35but also to make sure
28:38that those
28:38who have not
28:39committed crimes
28:40are not found guilty
28:43and arbitrarily detained.
28:45In other words,
28:45everybody has due process.
28:48So the effort
28:49by the Trump administration
28:50to try to conflate
28:53these two issues
28:54goes to the heart
28:55of what I was just
28:56talking about,
28:57their effort
28:57to change the subject.
28:58But again,
28:59to the Morin family,
29:01I, you know,
29:02we have three children.
29:04I cannot imagine
29:04losing a child
29:06in a heartbreak
29:07of that cause
29:08and it should not happen.
29:11And my heart breaks
29:12for everybody
29:12in Maryland
29:14or America
29:15who has lost
29:17a loved one
29:17to violence
29:18regardless
29:19of the perpetrator.
29:20Senator,
29:21in your meeting
29:21with the Vice President,
29:22we were able
29:23to leave any information
29:24about the United States
29:25agreement
29:26with El Salvador
29:26related to the
29:28detention facility,
29:29the terms,
29:29how much we pay,
29:31if the government
29:31has any say
29:32whatsoever
29:33what happened
29:34inside of the Brexit.
29:36So I didn't learn
29:38that directly
29:39from the Vice President,
29:40but I have learned
29:41about the commitments
29:42that have been made.
29:44So the Trump administration
29:45has promised
29:46to pay El Salvador
29:48$15 million
29:49to detain
29:51these prisoners,
29:53including
29:53the illegally
29:55abducted
29:55come out.
29:56my best information
29:59and I think
30:00it's pretty good
30:01in the case
30:01to date,
30:03they've paid out
30:04more than 4 million
30:05of that $15 million.
30:07As to the terms
30:09of an agreement,
30:11I've not seen
30:12an agreement.
30:13I don't know
30:14whether there is
30:15an agreement
30:16that specifically
30:17spells out
30:18the terms
30:20and conditions
30:20here.
30:21I am aware
30:23that there was
30:24some document
30:25that memorialized
30:27the payments,
30:29but again,
30:30I do not know
30:30in any way
30:32if it goes
30:32through the details.
30:34Senator,
30:34have you spoken
30:35Senator,
30:37what's the next step
30:39here in light
30:39of the defiance
30:40of the defiance
30:41from the Trump
30:42administration?
30:42What does Congress
30:43do?
30:44So, you know,
30:45everybody asks
30:47those of us
30:49who are Democratic
30:49senators
30:50whether there's
30:51any bottom line
30:53where Republican
30:54senators
30:55will say
30:57enough's enough
30:59and won't
30:59simply become,
31:00won't simply
31:01continue to be
31:02rubber stamps
31:02for the Trump
31:04administration.
31:04So far,
31:05we haven't
31:06hit bottom.
31:08In this case,
31:10we have
31:10what I believe
31:11is an outright
31:12defiance
31:13of the Supreme
31:15Court.
31:16People still
31:17may want to
31:17hang their hat
31:18on the fact
31:20that it hasn't
31:20been completely
31:22adjudicated.
31:23As you know,
31:23the federal
31:23district court
31:24judge has
31:24ordered depositions
31:25of the
31:26administration
31:27officials.
31:29The Trump
31:29administration
31:30appealed it.
31:31That's what
31:31the Fourth Circuit
31:32decision was all
31:33about.
31:34That may well
31:34go to the
31:35Supreme Court.
31:35I don't know
31:36if the Trump
31:36administration
31:36is appealing
31:37to that.
31:37So the question
31:38is, is there
31:39any point
31:39when the
31:41president is
31:41violating the
31:42Constitution
31:42of the
31:43United States
31:43that Republicans
31:44will stand up
31:45for the
31:45Constitution
31:46rather than
31:48just continue
31:49to do the
31:50bidding?
31:51But not
31:51Republicans
31:51and Democrats
31:52are powerless.
31:52when it comes
31:53when it comes
31:53to Congress.
31:54But let me
31:54say something
31:54about that.
31:56Not totally
31:56powerless.
31:57Because
31:58appropriations
32:00need to go
32:00through the
32:00Congress.
32:02And that
32:03$15 million,
32:05you can be
32:06sure we're going
32:07to be looking
32:08for where it
32:08is.
32:09Because that
32:09wasn't authorized
32:10in previous
32:12appropriations.
32:12We're operating
32:13under a continuing
32:14resolution.
32:15Now they may
32:15try to pretend
32:16they can
32:16transfer that.
32:18But there's
32:19some indication
32:20that they were
32:21planning anyway
32:22until now
32:24to make that
32:25as part of
32:25the request.
32:26And you can
32:26be sure
32:27that I won't
32:29support the
32:30use of one
32:31penny of
32:31taxpayer dollars
32:33to keep
32:34Abrego
32:35Garcia
32:37illegally
32:38detained
32:39in El Salvador.
32:41And so as
32:41part of that
32:42process, yes,
32:43Democrats, at least
32:44in the Senate,
32:46have some
32:46this way.
32:47Now I will say
32:47something about
32:48the government
32:48of El Salvador.
32:50They are making
32:51a huge mistake.
32:52You know, they
32:53want to brand
32:53themselves as a
32:54country for
32:55technology.
32:57You know, the
32:58president said,
32:59you know, Bitcoin
33:00is legal tender.
33:02But now what
33:02they're branding
33:03themselves as,
33:05as the place
33:05for these huge
33:07prisons, where
33:09people who are
33:09illegally deducted,
33:11excuse me,
33:12illegally abducted,
33:15are warehoused.
33:17That is not a good
33:18look.
33:19There are also
33:20other things
33:20Americans can do
33:21with respect to
33:22economic pressure
33:24on El Salvador.
33:25People can stop
33:26traveling.
33:28Actually, tourism
33:28has been going up.
33:29They can stop
33:30traveling.
33:31There may be
33:32states that decide,
33:34you know, they
33:35don't want any of
33:35their pension funds
33:36invested in
33:37companies that
33:39invest in a place
33:41like El Salvador.
33:42So there are many
33:44things that can be
33:45done.
33:45And I just urge the
33:47president of El Salvador,
33:48the vice president of El Salvador,
33:49to rethink whether they
33:51want to become the place
33:52that just gets paid off
33:55for being complicit in
33:57this union scheme.
33:58Senator, have you
33:59talked to your colleagues
34:00who plan to go down
34:04and what do you
34:05hope from your
34:06Senator, why did the
34:09Salvadoran government
34:10reverse itself on
34:12allowing you to meet
34:13with Mr. Obrego-Garcia
34:15after telling you no?
34:16And also, do you have a
34:18sense of why the
34:18government transferred
34:20Mr. Obrego-Garcia
34:21from CICOT to this
34:23other prison in
34:24Well, I think the
34:26reason they
34:27relented
34:29is pretty clear.
34:31They were feeling
34:32the pressure.
34:33I mean,
34:34they were feeling
34:35the pressure because
34:36while I was in
34:37El Salvador,
34:39we had two
34:40major press
34:41conferences
34:41that included
34:43the local
34:43press
34:44who reported
34:45on this.
34:47And I think
34:47that they decided
34:48that it was not
34:49a good look
34:50to continue
34:53to detain
34:53Albrego-Garcia
34:55without anybody
34:56having access
34:58to him.
35:00There's no other
35:00explanation for the
35:01fact that they said
35:02no, no, no, no, no,
35:03and then prevented
35:04us from going to
35:05the prison.
35:06So, that's why.
35:09I'm sorry,
35:09what was the
35:10second part of the
35:10question?
35:10The second part,
35:12why, and
35:12welcome home,
35:14why did they
35:15transfer him
35:16when CICOT
35:17to the other
35:18prison?
35:19Well, I mean,
35:20number one,
35:21I will say,
35:21my main request
35:22was to meet
35:24with him.
35:24And as I said,
35:25he's no longer
35:25at CICOT.
35:27So, he's at a
35:27different prison,
35:29which is pretty
35:30far outside
35:32of San Salvador.
35:33But, in addition
35:34to that,
35:35I didn't even
35:36know that.
35:36I mean, so,
35:37we all thought
35:38he was at CICOT.
35:40I mean,
35:41until I met
35:41with him.
35:42That's why
35:42I tried to go
35:43to CICOT.
35:44So, I think
35:45that's why
35:45he wasn't
35:46brought up
35:47to CICOT.
35:48Do you think
35:49that the White
35:50House,
35:51do you think
35:51that the White
35:51House,
35:52do you think
35:53that the White
35:54House was
35:54involved at all
35:55in facilitating
35:56this meeting?
35:57Do you think
35:57that the Trump
35:58administration,
35:59do you think
36:01that he's
36:01talking to any
36:03of your colleagues
36:04who say that
36:04they plan to go
36:05down now that
36:05the President
36:06has seemed
36:06to shut the
36:07door,
36:07he lets you
36:08meet with them,
36:08but he's going
36:09back to detention
36:10and will not
36:10return?
36:11Have you spoken
36:12to them and what
36:12do they hope
36:13to accomplish
36:13going forward?
36:14So, I've told
36:16the Vice
36:16President of
36:17El Salvador
36:17that I may
36:18be the first
36:19Senator or
36:20member of
36:20Congress to
36:21be in El
36:23Salvador,
36:23to come down
36:24to El
36:24Salvador,
36:24but I won't
36:25be the last.
36:27And there
36:28are others
36:28coming.
36:29I've got to
36:30give them a
36:30call after
36:31this meeting
36:32to brief them
36:33on my trip,
36:34but this goes
36:35back to the
36:35fact that El
36:37Salvador is
36:37making a big
36:38mistake.
36:39The President
36:39El Salvador
36:39is making a
36:40big mistake
36:40and being
36:41complicit in
36:42this illegal
36:42scheme.
36:43How long
36:43did you meet
36:44for?
36:44How long
36:45did you sit
36:45down for
36:46over half
36:46an hour?
36:47It was
36:47an hour.
36:48What else
36:49can your
36:49Democratic
36:50colleagues do
36:50to prevent
36:50future illegal
36:51deportations
36:52like this?
36:52You mentioned
36:53the International
36:53Covenant on
36:54Civil and
36:55Political
36:55Rights.
36:56Do you
36:56think that
36:56El Salvador
36:58is a party
36:58to that?
36:59Do you
36:59think that
36:59you're
36:59mentioning
36:59that as
37:00part of
37:01what facilitated
37:01the meeting?
37:01I think
37:02it could
37:02have been
37:02a factor
37:02because
37:03they are
37:03in blatant
37:04violation
37:04of that
37:06requirement,
37:07that
37:07international
37:07law
37:08requirement.
37:08Not only
37:09in this
37:09case,
37:10but actually
37:11in all
37:12of these
37:12cases,
37:13because I
37:13said the
37:14policy at
37:16that prison,
37:17SICOT,
37:17is to have
37:19no communication,
37:20not with your
37:21lawyer,
37:21not with your
37:22family,
37:23or with
37:23nobody.
37:24That is a
37:25violation of
37:26international
37:27law, and as I
37:28mentioned,
37:28El Salvador is a
37:29signatory to that.
37:31Thank you all
37:31very much for
37:32being here.
37:34Let me know
37:53what you guys
37:54need.
37:58You guys
38:01got it.
38:03Once you
38:03need to work
38:03I take
38:04them in.