Sen. Chris Van Hollen Confirms Trip To El Salvador Funded By US Taxpayers

Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen confirmed Sunday that his trip to El Salvador to try to secure the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported illegal immigrant with alleged ties to MS-13, was funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars.

Van Hollen made the admission during an interview on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream.

When pressed by Bream about who paid for the trip, Van Hollen said it was an “officially cleared, you know, congressional trip.”

“So taxpayer dollars?” Bream questioned.

“Yes, like every other trip,” Van Hollen replied.

🚨 JUST IN: Senator Chris Van Hollen ADMITS taxpayers paid for his clown show in El Salvador

YOU AND I paid for a U.S. Senator to go sip margaritas with an MS-13 terrorist in El Salvador

Makes me SICK.

TAKE IT OUT OF HIS PAY! pic.twitter.com/Ymt6PNcWdI

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 20, 2025

Van Hollen defended his use of government funds for the trip, arguing that he wasn’t vouching for one person, but standing up for due process rights under the Constitution. The comment marked a shift from his April 15 remarks, where he called Abrego Garcia an “American citizen” and vowed to fight for his “constituent.” His staff later claimed he “misspoke” and was referring to Garcia’s U.S.-born wife.

It is time for Trump to put up or shut up in Court.

A FEDERAL JUDGE said “no evidence before the court connects Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or any criminal organization.” No one is vouching for one man. We are standing up for EVERYONE’s right to due process under the Constitution.

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) April 18, 2025

Van Hollen’s office did not respond to multiple inquiries from the Caller about the details regarding the funding of his trip.

CODEL trips — official congressional visits abroad — must be approved by leadership and coordinated with foreign affairs committees. Senators are required to follow ethics rules and report any gifts or expenses. Travel costs are typically covered by the U.S. government through congressional, Department of Defense (DOD), or State Department funds. (RELATED: Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s Trip To El Salvador Likely Paid For By Taxpayers, Senate Aides Say)

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also did not return a request for comment.

Democratic Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost and Democratic California Rep. Robert Garcia sent a letter last week to House Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer requresting approval for a congressional delegation trip to El Salvador, noting that the Senate had “already authorized CODEL travel to CECOT.”

🚨BREAKING: Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has announced he will BLOCK Democrat requests to use tax dollars to travel to El Salvador.

Let’s see if they still want to virtue signal now that they will have to pay for it out of their own pockets. pic.twitter.com/5rDIAAfL91

— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) April 18, 2025

Comer forcefully rejected the Democrats’ request for a CODEL: “If you also wish to meet with him, you can spend your own money. But I will not approve a single dime of taxpayer funds for use on the excursion you have requested,” he declared.

Despite Comer’s denial, four Democratic lawmakers — Reps. Garcia and Frost, along with Democratic Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari and Democratic Oregon Rep. Maxine Dexter — landed in El Salvador today to advocate for the return of Abrego Garcia. (RELATED: More Dems Land In El Salvador To Support Alleged Wife-Beating MS-13 Gangbanger)

The move by Democrats to use taxpayer-funded travel to advocate for non-citizens has drawn criticism from the Trump administration and lawmakers across the aisle, who argue the focus should be on American families and public safety.

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said on his “Verdict” podcast April 16, “Look, can the Democrats travel to El Salvador if they want, and is that part, reasonably, of their work? Yes, but what they’re doing is traveling there in order to highlight, ‘We want to bring this illegal immigrant whom two courts have found as an MS-13 member, back to America.’”

“That’s astonishingly bad policy, and I think astonishingly bad politics,” Cruz asserted.

Abrego Garcia had argued that returning to his home country would put him at risk of being targeted by Barrio 18, a violent gang and rival to MS-13.

Court records and a DOJ Gang Field Interview Sheet show the Salvadoran national was detained in 2019 with two MS-13 ranking members, wearing gang-affiliated clothing and identified as a member by a confidential informant. Two immigration judges later labeled him a public safety threat and a “verified member” of the gang.

Additionally, court documents obtained by independent journalist Andy Ngo show that Abrego Garcia’s wife filed two domestic violence protection orders against him.