Senator John Kennedy, a Republican representing Louisiana, expressed his strong disapproval of the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia during a recent interview, characterizing it as an “error” by the Trump administration.
Kennedy challenged statements made by Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, who maintained that Mr. Garcia had not received adequate legal proceedings. According to Kennedy’s account, Abrego Garcia had appeared before seventeen different judges prior to seeking intervention from the Trump administration.
“In my view, this represents a significant misstep,” Kennedy stated emphatically. “The administration appears reluctant to acknowledge it, but the reality is that an error occurred. Mr. Garcia was mistakenly sent to El Salvador; he was never intended for that destination.” He further argued against any perceived pattern of action, asserting, “The Democrats are suggesting a deliberate targeting strategy, but I see no evidence of such a consistent trend.”
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old undocumented resident residing in Maryland, was transported to the “Terrorism Confinement Center” (CECOT) – a large El Salvadoran prison – last month. Official documentation confirmed this deportation stemmed from an administrative oversight, though some high-ranking officials within the Trump administration now contend that Mr. Garcia’s removal was justified, citing his alleged affiliation with the notorious MS-13 gang, a claim vehemently denied by his legal representatives.
Meanwhile, Senator Van Hollen visited El Salvador and met with Abrego Garcia, stating on X, “My main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.”
Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Mr. Garcia’s wife, appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” where she addressed a protection order filed against her husband in 2021. In the filing, penned entirely by Ms. Sura, she detailed instances of alleged abuse, writing, “At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.”
When questioned about the filing by Michael Strahan, Ms. Sura simply responded, “My husband is alive, that’s all I can say.” The interaction concluded with her reaffirming her commitment to securing Mr. Garcia’s return home.
Alexander Hall and Alexa Moutevelis contributed to this report.
