Sen Chris Van Hollen finally meets Kilmar Garcia, but did he violate the Logan Act?

The meeting in El Salvador came after Van Hollen was denied entry to the high-security prison.

PUBLISHED 6 DAYS AGO

Van Hollen shared a photo of their meeting on X, stating he also spoke with Kilmar Garcia’s wife to relay his message of love.

San Salvador: Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen has met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran man deported by the Trump administration in March. The meeting in El Salvador came after Van Hollen was denied entry to the high-security prison where Abrego Garcia is being held.

Van Hollen shared a photo of their meeting on X, stating he also spoke with Abrego Garcia’s wife to relay his message of love. However, the senator provided no update on Abrego Garcia’s legal status, as his attorneys continue fighting to secure his return to the US.

Van Hollen’s mission to bring Garcia back has drawn fierce criticism, particularly from Republicans and victims of crimes.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele mocked the encounter, posting images with the caption: “Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ & ‘torture,’ now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!”

Earlier that day, Van Hollen was barred from entering the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where Abrego Garcia is detained. Soldiers stopped his vehicle at a checkpoint, refusing entry despite allowing other cars through. “They stopped us because they are under orders not to allow us to proceed,” Van Hollen said at a press conference in San Salvador.

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen, was deported after US officials alleged ties to the MS-13 gang — a claim his lawyers deny, noting he has never been charged with gang-related crimes. Though the Trump administration called his deportation a “mistake” and the Supreme Court urged his return, President Trump and Bukele insist they have no legal basis to send him back.

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Van Hollen vowed to continue fighting for Abrego Garcia’s due process rights, noting the detainee has had no contact with family or lawyers. “We won’t give up,” he said, adding that more US lawmakers may visit El Salvador, including Sen. Cory Booker.

Meanwhile, Republican representatives, including Riley Moore and Jason Smith, have toured CECOT in support of Trump’s immigration policies, praising the facility for housing “violent criminals".

On X, however, many have claimed that Van Hollen's trip to El Salvador may have violated the Logan Act, and demand he be arrested on his return from the Central American country.

What is the Logan Act?

The Logan Act is a federal law that was enacted in 1799. It’s aimed at preventing unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments that have a dispute with the US. The law states that "Any citizen of the United States, without authority from the government, who directly or indirectly communicates with any foreign government or official with the intent to influence their actions related to disputes with the United States, can be fined or imprisoned".

It was named after Dr George Logan, a Pennsylvania state legislator. In 1798, during tensions with France, he attempted to negotiate peace without official permission — hence the law. No one has ever been successfully prosecuted under the Logan Act.