Sen. Chris Van Hollen and other lawmakers say the sheet metal worker was 'illegally abducted' and that they will trek to Central America for answers.

Later in 2019, a U.S. immigration judge shielded Abrego Garcia from deportation to El Salvador because he likely faced persecution there by local gangs that had terrorized his family. The Trump administration deported him there anyway, later describing the mistake as “an administrative error” but insisting he was in MS-13.