President Donald Trump claimed that he is "not involved" in the controversial deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, despite his administration reportedly "paying" El Salvador to imprison the man, who was wrongly deported.
When asked by a reporter Thursday whether he would comply with a court order and return Abrego Garcia to the U.S., Trump denied personal involvement, shifting responsibility to the Department of Justice and legal teams, Mediaite reported.
"Well, I'm not involved in it. I'm going to respond by saying you'll have to speak to the lawyers, the DOJ. I've heard many things about him, and we'll have to find out what the truth is," Trump said.
On Wednesday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen met with El Salvador's Vice President Félix Ulloa and questioned the continued detention of Abrego Garcia, pointing to court rulings and a lack of evidence. Van Hollen said Ulloa told him that the Trump administration is "paying" El Salvador to keep Garcia locked up at CECOT.
"His answer was that the Trump administration is paying El Salvador, the government of El Salvador to keep him at CECOT," Van Hollen said.
Abrego Garcia has been at the center of a legal firestorm after a federal court found he was removed in error and held without due process.
Though the U.S. government has labeled him an MS-13 gang member, which has been repeatedly denied by Abrego Garcia's attorneys. The Supreme Court has ordered that steps be taken to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., and the Trump administration is facing possible contempt proceedings over deportation flights.
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