section_path: Reactions/Members of Congress
section_name: Members of Congress
paragraph_text: Members of Congress
  
  Politico reported that Abrego Garcia's deportation has become a political flashpoint, with Democratic lawmakers viewing the administration's refusal to return him despite the Supreme Court ruling as the constitutional crisis they've been warning of, and Republicans, with the support of the administration, seeking to move away from the litigation to make the issue about illegal immigration, an issue they believe is to their favor.
  
  Several congressional Democrats called for Abrego Garcia's release. Representative Adriano Espaillat of New York stated in a press conference that he would write to the president of El Salvador to formally ask for Abrego Garcia's release and to know his condition, and that he hoped to visit the Terrorism Confinement Center. He noted that Abrego Garcia had been jailed without the presentation of any criminal charges in either the United States or in El Salvador.
  
  Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland connected Abrego Garcia to deportations under Trump more broadly, speaking of " people being disappeared " in America, including visiting students and legal immigrants.
  
  In anticipation of President Bukele's visit to the US, Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas called for Bukele to be held accountable for the imprisonment of Abrego Garcia and others in what Castro called " gulags " and "torture prisons".
  
  On April 14, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, stated that the administration was required by law to provide the committee with "any written agreements made with the Salvadoran government on this issue", and requested immediate compliance with the law.
  
  The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which is composed of Democrats, has also called for Abrego Garcia's release.
  
  Republican congressman Jason Smith toured CECOT, as did Republican Congressman Riley Moore, who was photographed giving a double thumbs-up in front of a cell of prisoners. When asked about the issue at a town hall with constituents on April 15, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley stated:
  
  Well, it's not a question of the president following the court order. It's a question of is the president of El Salvador going to do what our Supreme Court wants done? And obviously our Supreme Court doesn't have any control over him, and he says he's not going to return him. So if there's a constitutional crisis, it's not being caused by President Trump, it's being caused by the president of El Salvador. I would expect our president to act in good faith, and I think our president will do that, of making those requests of the president of El Salvador, but whether or not, but how the president of El Salvador responds would be up to that president of El Salvador.
  
  Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said in an interview that Abrego Garcia did have due process, in the form of the asylum hearing where his application was rejected. Pressed on the 2019 hearing that granted Abrego Garcia the ability to stay in the US, and his protection order not to be deported specifically to El Salvador, Emmer dodged. He disclaimed US responsibility for "a citizen of El Salvador who is now in El Salvador".
  
  Republican senator John Kennedy of Louisiana "The administration won't admit it. But this was a screw-up".
  
  Politico reported that Abrego Garcia's deportation has become a political flashpoint, with Democratic lawmakers viewing the administration's refusal to return him despite the Supreme Court ruling as the constitutional crisis they've been warning of, and Republicans, with the support of the administration, seeking to move away from the litigation to make the issue about illegal immigration, an issue they believe is to their favor.
  
  Several congressional Democrats called for Abrego Garcia's release. Representative Adriano Espaillat of New York stated in a press conference that he would write to the president of El Salvador to formally ask for Abrego Garcia's release and to know his condition, and that he hoped to visit the Terrorism Confinement Center. He noted that Abrego Garcia had been jailed without the presentation of any criminal charges in either the United States or in El Salvador.
  
  Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland connected Abrego Garcia to deportations under Trump more broadly, speaking of " people being disappeared " in America, including visiting students and legal immigrants.
  
  In anticipation of President Bukele's visit to the US, Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas called for Bukele to be held accountable for the imprisonment of Abrego Garcia and others in what Castro called " gulags " and "torture prisons".
  
  On April 14, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, stated that the administration was required by law to provide the committee with "any written agreements made with the Salvadoran government on this issue", and requested immediate compliance with the law.
  
  The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which is composed of Democrats, has also called for Abrego Garcia's release.
  
  Republican congressman Jason Smith toured CECOT, as did Republican Congressman Riley Moore, who was photographed giving a double thumbs-up in front of a cell of prisoners. When asked about the issue at a town hall with constituents on April 15, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley stated:
  
  Well, it's not a question of the president following the court order. It's a question of is the president of El Salvador going to do what our Supreme Court wants done? And obviously our Supreme Court doesn't have any control over him, and he says he's not going to return him. So if there's a constitutional crisis, it's not being caused by President Trump, it's being caused by the president of El Salvador. I would expect our president to act in good faith, and I think our president will do that, of making those requests of the president of El Salvador, but whether or not, but how the president of El Salvador responds would be up to that president of El Salvador.
  
  Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said in an interview that Abrego Garcia did have due process, in the form of the asylum hearing where his application was rejected. Pressed on the 2019 hearing that granted Abrego Garcia the ability to stay in the US, and his protection order not to be deported specifically to El Salvador, Emmer dodged. He disclaimed US responsibility for "a citizen of El Salvador who is now in El Salvador".
  
  Republican senator John Kennedy of Louisiana "The administration won't admit it. But this was a screw-up".