Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is making efforts to separate himself from Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran undocumented immigrant who was sent back to his home country, following the announcement by Attorney General Pam Bondi of a multi-count human trafficking indictment against him. Van Hollen had previously visited El Salvador and enjoyed martinis with Abrego Garcia while advocating for his release.
Two months following the deportation of Abrego Garcia by the Trump Administration from Maryland to El Salvador, a federal grand jury has indicted him for allegedly transporting illegal migrants within the United States. The undocumented individual is accused of participating in a long-term conspiracy to traffic illegal immigrants from Houston, Texas, to various cities across the U.S. interior.
Prosecutors assert that this conspiracy spanned nearly a decade, resulting in the trafficking of thousands of illegal aliens from Mexico and other Central and South American countries throughout the United States.
After his deportation, Abrego Garcia was celebrated by Democratic lawmakers and activists as a hero, symbolizing the left’s opposition to the deportation of illegal aliens. Senator Van Hollen emerged as a key organizer of the campaign, working to liberate someone who had been inaccurately labeled as a “Maryland Man” by Democrats and their media supporters.
In April, Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia, claiming he had been sent to the notorious supermax prison in the country. Upon his arrival, he quickly discovered that the Salvadoran national was not incarcerated, as they enjoyed margaritas together in an upscale hotel in San Salvador’s capital.
In light of the indictment — which elaborates on credible allegations of gang involvement and domestic violence — the Democratic senator is making efforts to separate himself from his upbeat meeting with the “Maryland Man.”
“After months of disregarding our Constitution, it appears the Trump Administration has yielded to our requests for adherence to court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia,” the senator stated on X on Friday, misrepresenting the context of Abrego Garcia’s return.
“This has never been about the individual — it concerns his constitutional rights and the rights of all citizens,” the senator further remarked.
As Van Hollen seeks to dissociate himself from his enthusiastic support of Abrego Garcia, numerous legal experts have indicated that the Democratic senator may be at risk of facing criminal charges for his attempts to undermine the Trump Administration’s immigration policies.
The Logan Act — named after former Pennsylvania Senator George Logan — imposes criminal penalties on any Americans who engage in correspondence with foreign officials “with the intent to influence their measures … regarding any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to thwart the measures of the United States.”
This law has been in effect since 1799, when Logan conferred with French diplomat Charles de Talleyrand in opposition to the diplomatic objectives of then-President John Adams. Logan, alongside Thomas Jefferson, was working to resolve U.S. conflicts with France during what was referred to as the Quasi War.
The Logan Act stipulates that any citizen of the United States, regardless of their location, who, without the authorization of the United States, either directly or indirectly initiates or engages in any correspondence or interaction with any foreign government or any representative or agent thereof, with the purpose of influencing the actions or policies of any foreign government or any representative or agent thereof, concerning any disputes or controversies involving the United States, or to undermine the actions of the United States, shall be subject to a fine under this title, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both,” explained WMAL host Vince Coglianese following the meeting.
The conservative radio host subsequently pointed out that the same statute was utilized to prosecute former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who faced accusations of not disclosing his communications with Turkish officials.
