Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) refused to apologize Friday after being called out by the White House for defending Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national deported under President Trump and later indicted for human smuggling. Van Hollen, who has championed Abrego Garcia’s legal battle, insisted his actions were about defending constitutional rights, not supporting the individual.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded Van Hollen apologize to Abrego Garcia’s alleged victims. “Democrat senator Chris Van Hollen, and every single so-called journalist who defended this illegal criminal abuser must immediately apologize,” the statement read.
Van Hollen responded during an appearance on CNN’s AC360, saying, “I will never apologize for defending the Constitution.” He accused the Trump administration of violating due process rights and claimed it was the former president who owed the country an apology.
Abrego Garcia was deported in March to El Salvador, where he was imprisoned with over 230 other deportees. While the Trump administration identified him as an MS-13 gang member, his lawyers argued the deportation violated a 2019 court order. A U.S. district court sided with Abrego Garcia, a ruling that was later upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court.
Despite the legal victory, the administration announced this week that Abrego Garcia would face two federal charges: conspiracy to transport aliens and unlawful transport of undocumented migrants. The charges follow multiple reports linking him to human smuggling operations from Texas to Maryland, often involving overcrowded vehicles and undocumented passengers.
Van Hollen previously visited Abrego Garcia in El Salvador and led Democrat calls for his return, igniting backlash from the administration and conservatives who say the senator is defending a dangerous individual with ties to criminal enterprises. Law enforcement documents also detail domestic abuse accusations and credible allegations of MS-13 affiliation.
As the Trump administration intensifies its immigration enforcement, Van Hollen’s stance puts him at the center of a political firestorm over whether defending due process rights should extend to foreign nationals with serious criminal allegations.
