House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) criticized Democrats for wanting the Committee to “approve,” from its budget, official travel to El Salvador to visit an accused MS-13 gang member and deported illegal alien.
In a letter posted to X, addressed to Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL), Comer informed them that if they want to travel to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia — who was deported to his home country, they “can spend” their own money.
“It is absurd that you both displayed active hostility for over two years toward the Committee’s oversight of the Biden Border Crisis and the consequences of millions of illegal aliens entering the country, yet now, you are seeking travel at Committee expense to meet with foreign gang members,” Comer said in the letter. “You may be pleased to know that a Democrat Senator, Chris Van Hollen, was photographed just yesterday in El Salvador enjoying margaritas garnished with cherry slices with the foreign gang member your letter references.”
“If you also wish to meet with him, you can spend your own money,” Comer added. “But I will not approve a single dime of taxpayer funds for use on the excursion you have requested.”
Comer’s letter refusing to use taxpayer funds to pay for a trip for Frost and Garcia to visit Abrego Garcia comes as Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has traveled to El Salvador to lead the cause of getting Abrego Garcia returned to the United States.
In a photo posted to X, Van Hollen was photographed meeting with Abrego Garcia, whom Democrats and the news media have painted as a “Maryland father with protected status.”
“I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar,” Van Hollen said in his post. “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.”
While Democrats and the news media have continued to support Abrego Garcia, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has claimed that the Trump administration has “credible intelligence proving” Abrego Garcia “was involved in human trafficking” and was a “member” and “leader, of the brutal MS-13 gang.”
“The administration maintains the position that this individual — who was deported to El Salvador, and will not be returning to our country was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang. That is fact number one. Fact number two, we also have credible intelligence proving that this individual was involved in human trafficking,” Leavitt said. “And, fact number three, this individual was a member, actually a leader, of the brutal MS-13 gang — which this President has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
In a press release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it was revealed that when Abrego Garcia was arrested, he was “found with rolls of cash and drugs” and that he “was arrested with two other members of MS-13.”
“When arrested, he was wearing a sweatshirt with roles of money covering the areas, mouth, and eyes of presidents on various currency denominations,” the press release continued. “This is a known MS-13 gang symbol of see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil.”
“Two judges found that he was a member of MS-13,” the press release added.
While the Supreme Court issued a ruling that the Trump administration must facilitate the release of Abrego Garcia, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele responded to Van Hollen meeting with Abrego Garcia, saying that he “gets the honor of staying in El Salvador’s custody.”
“Now that he’s been confirmed healthy, he gets the honor of staying in El Salvador’s custody,” Bukele wrote in a post on X.
