BREAKING: Senator Van Hollen Confirms Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been Moved from CECOT but Still has no Access to Outside World

Senator Chris Van Hollen has returned to the United States with a powerful message and a sobering update on the fate of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was forcibly deported to El Salvador.

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In an emotional press conference, Van Hollen made clear: “This case is not just about one man. It’s about protecting the constitutional rights of everybody who resides in the United States of America. If you deny the constitutional rights of one man, you threaten the constitutional rights and due process for everyone else in America.”

Kilmar, a father and longtime resident of Maryland, was arrested while sitting in a vehicle with his five-year-old autistic son. According to Van Hollen, Kilmar was taken into custody without being allowed a phone call and was transferred from a Baltimore detention facility to Texas, and from there, deported on a plane to El Salvador.

Upon arrival, he was placed in the notorious CECOT supermax prison—an overcrowded facility where he was held in a cell with 25 other inmates. CECOT has drawn global criticism for its harsh conditions, extreme surveillance, and alleged human rights abuses.

About eight days ago, Kilmar was moved to a different facility in Santa Ana with reportedly better conditions. Still, Van Hollen confirmed, he remains cut off from the outside world. No phone calls. No news. No legal access. No contact with his wife or young son.

Senator Van Hollen visited Kilmar personally during his time abroad. Recounting their emotional exchange, he shared what Kilmar said “He missed her and his family.” Van Hollen added, “When I told him that his wife and family sent their love and were fighting for him to return home every day, he said that he was worried about all of you. He spoke several times about your 5-year-old son who has autism.”

This is not just a case of bureaucratic failure. This is a humanitarian crisis.

Kilmar’s story has become a rallying point for civil rights advocates and lawmakers who argue that the U.S. government’s current use of wartime statutes to detain and deport individuals without due process is a violation of constitutional protections.

“This is about much more than Kilmar,” Van Hollen emphasized. “This is about whether our government gets to strip someone of due process and constitutional protection based on executive fiat, and whether we—the people—are willing to allow it.”

The senator’s remarks come amid mounting legal battles over the expanded use of the Alien Enemies Act and the Trump-era reinterpretations of immigration authority that have led to mass removals and secretive deportations.

Kilmar’s family and legal team are continuing their efforts to secure his return and challenge the legality of his detention and deportation. Advocacy organizations are calling on Congress to intervene and rescind the 1798-era Alien Enemies Act once and for all.

This story is developing. I’ll have more to come soon.