Sen. Van Hollen Says Trump Administration Made $15 Million Deal With El Salvador To Imprison Deportees Including Abrego Garcia
Antonio Pequeño IV
Forbes Staff
Pequeño is a breaking news reporter who covers tech and more.
Apr 18, 2025, 06:30pm EDT
Topline Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said in a press conference Friday
the Trump administration has promised to pay El Salvador $15 million to detain deportees including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident erroneously deported last month by the Trump administration.
Key Facts
Van Hollen, who took a high-profile trip to El Salvador Thursday to see Abrego Garcia in person, said the Trump administration has paid El Salvador $4 million of the $15 million as of Friday, adding he was “aware that there was some document that memorialized the payments.”
The senator emphasized that he has not directly seen the agreement between the White House and El Salvador, adding he was not sure what the details of the agreement were.
The Associated Press reported last month, around the same time as multiple deportation flights were made from the U.S. to El Salvador, that the government would pay El Salvador $6 million to imprison for a year around 300 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, noting a State Department document that suggested the Trump administration could put aside a total of $15 million to house more deportees.
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