Fox News host Laura Ingraham engaged in a contentious exchange with Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), accusing the congresswoman of exploiting the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia for political purposes. Abrego García was mistakenly deported from the United States to El Salvador, sparking an ongoing legal battle involving the Trump administration and several courts, including the Supreme Court, as Democrats advocate for his return arguing he needs to be given due process.
The conversation focused on Ansari's recent trip to El Salvador with other House Democrats to advocate for Abrego Garcia's return.
"What was your point in traveling to El Salvador? Senator Van Hollen had just been there," Ingraham asked, referencing a prior solo visit by the Maryland Senator, the state where Abrego Garcia was living in. Ansari responded: "To me, there is nothing more American than due process and the rule of law."
Ingraham repeatedly questioned what specific due process rights Abrego Garcia had been denied and challenged Ansari's framing of the issue. "What process do you think is still due an individual who two courts found had reasonable belief to believe he had an affiliation with MS-13?" Ingraham asked, also referencing past allegations of domestic violence that were later contested.
Ansari insisted the core issue was broader than Abrego Garcia as an individual. "I'm not here to really advocate for one person. That needs to happen in court," she said, to which Ingraham pushed back: "You went to El Salvador! Now you are saying it's not about him?"
Ingraham then accused the congresswoman of using the case for publicity. "I don't think he matters to you. I think the political story matters to you," she said. Ansari rejected the claim, calling the push for due process a bipartisan concern. "This is very dangerous. We are turning into an authoritarian country, and there are Americans from across the political spectrum who are deeply concerned."
Ansari to Ingraham: "You are changing the subject. Today we are here to talk about the lack of due process for an individual who was illegally deported from this country." pic.twitter.com/r9rChrgrpV
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 22, 2025
At one point, the discussion grew more tense as Ingraham attempted to shift the topic to crimes committed by migrants, mentioning the case of a Maryland woman who was recently murdered by an alleged undocumented Guatemalan migrant. Ansari called it a distraction from the constitutional question. "I am appalled by any violence," she said. "That's why I believe in the rule of law, and that's why this case is so important."
The exchange ended with Ingraham accusing Ansari of refusing to support deportation under any circumstances. "What you care about is an illegal immigrant's rights to be here ad infinitum," Ingraham said. "That is the truth."
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sharply criticized the Trump administration for obstructing the expedited discovery process in the case of Abrego Garcia, accusing officials of intentionally withholding information and making vague privilege claims to block compliance with her orders.
Three courts, including the Supreme Court and the federal appeals court that sits over Judge Xinis, have now told the Trump administration to "facilitate" the release of Abrego Garcia.
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