House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) denied requests from several Democrats to lead official congressional delegations to El Salvador, where an erroneously deported Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, is being held. The decision comes after a group of Republicans led by Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), who visited the notorious maximum-security prison housing deportees and expressed support for President Trump’s deportation policies.
Comer cited a lack of oversight and security resources as the reason for his refusal. Democrats had hoped to organize their own delegations to ensure more scrutiny, but Republicans have been able to secure funding for their own trips. The move is seen as stinging by Democrats, who are now considering alternative options, including joining existing Republican delegations.
The trip to El Salvador has gained significant attention in recent weeks, with the Trump administration sending deportees to a maximum-security prison in the country. Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), among others, have expressed interest in visiting Abrego Garcia, but their requests were denied by Comer. The Supreme Court has ordered Abrego’s return to the US, but his case remains unresolved.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/18/house-republicans-democrats-el-salvador-trump