Florida Congressman Byron Donalds criticized Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Monday for his recent trip to El Salvador to visit with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national and alleged MS-13 gang member, who was sent out of the United States by the Trump administration despite an immigration court preventing his deportation.
"This morning, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) admitted he used TAXPAYER FUNDS to travel to El Salvador to dine with a deported, illegal alien, MS-13 terrorist," Donalds said. "This is the buffoonery of the left."
"Democrats dine with MS-13 ON OUR DIME. Republicans DEPORT THEM. We are NOT THE SAME," Donalds added.
Speaking on NewsMax, Donalds said Sen. Van Hollen could have violated the Logan Act. The 1799 federal law bars Americans from communicating in unauthorized diplomacy with foreign governments without the United States' approval.
Congressman Donalds also called Van Hollen a "fool" for trying to bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States.
"It's very possible. And something that's even bigger than that is he looks like an utter fool," Donalds said. Because now the information is coming out that this guy, obviously yes, he was in the country illegal. His wife was saying he was an abusive person. He was hanging out with MS-13 gang members when he got picked up."
"And he's [Van Hollen] down in El Salvador, trying to negotiate a release. This is the buffoonery of the Democratic left. It's the reason they were boat raced last November. It's the reason they will continue to lose," Donalds added.
Along with Van Hollen, other Democrats, including Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost, have traveled to El Salvador to push for Abrego Garcia's release. Reps. Robert Garcia (Calif.), Yassamin Ansari (Ariz.), and Maxine Dexter (Ore.) also went to the country.
Abrego Garcia has been labeled as a "Maryland man" by some in the media despite crossing into the United States illegally in 2011. Van Hollen has also been criticized for visiting Abrego Garcia while showing less concern for Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman who was murdered by an illegal alien in 2023.
"How about a U.S. Senator actually stand up for the American people? The rule of law? Actually securing our borders and sending people home who do not belong in our country," Donalds continued. "I wish he would spend his time doing that as opposed to going down to El Salvador to prove to all Americans he's a fool."
