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Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem criticized U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, on Monday for his attempt to inspect a migrant detention facility. She accused him of prioritizing the rights of criminal illegal immigrants over American citizens.
Van Hollen, known for his opposition to the Trump administration’s actions on illegal immigration, was part of a Maryland congressional delegation that was denied entry to a Baltimore U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility.
The delegation, which included Van Hollen, Senator Angela Alsobrooks, and Representatives Glenn Ivey, Johnny Olzewski Jr., Sarah Elfreth, and Kweisi Mfume, staged a sit-in after being denied entry.
DEMOCRATS CELEBRATE RETURN OF SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAFFICKER KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA
The Department of Homeland Security released images of four illegal immigrants arrested on suspicion of various crimes. (Department of Homeland Security)
“President Trump misled the American people when he claimed that his administration would only target the most dangerous individuals,” Van Hollen stated outside the facility.
In response to the sit-in, Noem shared images of four unidentified illegal immigrants arrested for various crimes, such as rape, possession of child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor, and murder.
“These are the criminals that @ChrisVanHollen is defending instead of protecting American victims,” she posted on social media.
Representative Johnny Olszewski, a Democrat from Maryland, also part of the delegation, expressed concern over being denied entry despite following the necessary legal procedures.
“Congress has the legal right to inspect ICE facilities,” he wrote on social media. “Given reports of inhumane conditions, this denial is troubling. We will continue to push for accountability.”
Members of the Maryland congressional delegation, including Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, and Representatives Glenn Ivey, Johnny Olszewski Jr., Sarah Elfreth, and Kweisi Mfume, staged a sit-in at a Baltimore ICE office on Monday. (Rep. Rep. Johnny Olszewski ; X)
A response from the Department of Homeland Security accused the lawmaker of seeking a “photo opportunity.”
“Congressman, if you wish to have a photo op with the violent criminal illegal aliens you are protecting, schedule a TOUR,” the response stated. “Regarding visits to detention facilities, requests should be made in advance to avoid interfering with the President’s authority to oversee executive department functions. A week’s notice is sufficient to ensure no encroachment on the President’s constitutional authority. Any request for a shorter notice period must be approved by the Secretary to protect the President’s authority.”
Van Hollen has faced criticism for his support of suspected gang member Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.
Van Hollen was the first of several Democratic lawmakers to visit Abrego Garcia after he was deported to a high-security prison in El Salvador in March.
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Abrego Garcia, 29, has been brought back to the U.S. to face charges in a sealed federal indictment in Tennessee for allegedly conspiring to transport illegal aliens for financial gain and unlawfully transporting illegal aliens.
While many Democrats argue that Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported and is innocent, the administration has presented evidence indicating his affiliation with the MS-13 gang. Court records filed by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, also allege that he physically abused her multiple times.
“As I have stated before, this is not about the individual. It is about protecting his constitutional rights, as well as the rights of all individuals,” Van Hollen told Fox News Digital in June regarding the case. “The administration will now need to present its case in a court of law, as it should have done from the beginning.”
