Maryland Representative Glenn Ivey plans to visit a deported Salvadoran man in prison, reigniting debate over the Trump administration’s handling of a controversial deportation case that has reached the Supreme Court.

At a Glance

• Rep. Glenn Ivey joins 14 Maryland congressmen demanding return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, deported to El Salvador despite court protection
• Garcia is currently held in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center after what ICE called an “administrative error” in his March 12 deportation
• The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate Garcia’s return, but the Justice Department has appealed
• Despite having no criminal record, DOJ claims Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, which his attorneys dispute
• The case highlights growing tensions between Democrats and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and due process

Administrative Error or Gang Enforcement?

Fourteen Maryland congressmen have written to President Trump demanding the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador on March 12 despite having legal protection from removal. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has acknowledged that Garcia’s deportation resulted from an “administrative error,” as he had been legally granted withholding of removal in 2019 due to fears of persecution in El Salvador. Garcia is currently being held in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center.

Judge Paula Xinis had ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate and effectuate” Garcia’s return by April 7, but the Justice Department appealed the order. The Supreme Court subsequently ruled that the administration must arrange for Garcia’s return to the United States. Despite these court orders, Maryland lawmakers claim the administration has “made no meaningful effort to comply” with the judicial directives.

Congressional Intervention Escalates

Rep. Glenn Ivey has announced plans to visit Garcia in El Salvador for a wellness check, following Senator Chris Van Hollen who recently returned from a similar visit. The congressional delegation highlighted that Garcia was arrested by ICE while his 5-year-old son was in the car, raising humanitarian concerns about the enforcement action. This high-profile congressional involvement signals growing Democratic opposition to what they view as the administration’s immigration enforcement overreach.

The case has become increasingly politically charged. Although Garcia has no criminal record according to his attorneys, the Department of Justice maintains he is affiliated with MS-13, a notorious transnational gang. This dispute over Garcia’s background has intensified partisan divisions, with Democrats rallying around constitutional concerns while the administration frames the matter as one of national security and criminal enforcement.

Constitutional Questions and Political Implications

The Garcia case has evolved beyond immigration policy to raise fundamental questions about separation of powers and due process rights. Democratic lawmakers see the administration’s refusal to comply with court orders as a constitutional challenge.

High-profile Democrats including Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have criticized the case as government overreach, while previously divided Democrats have found common ground in opposing what they view as executive branch defiance of judicial authority.

President Trump has defended his stance, stating: “I was elected to get rid of those criminals — get them out of our country or to put them away, but to get them out of our country. And I don’t see how judges can take that authority away from the president.” This assertion of executive authority over immigration enforcement continues to receive strong support from his base, even as polls show broader deportation policies remain divisive among the general public.

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