Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland confirmed on Sunday that his recent visit to El Salvador—aimed at assisting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported immigrant accused of MS-13 ties—was financed by U.S. taxpayers. Speaking on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream, Van Hollen was asked about the funding source for the trip. He responded that it was an “officially cleared, you know, congressional trip.” When Bream followed up, asking, “So taxpayer dollars?” Van Hollen replied, “Yes, like every other trip.” The senator defended the expenditure, stating that his mission was not about supporting a single individual but about advocating for constitutional due process rights. This position seemed to contrast with his earlier comments on April 15, when he described Abrego Garcia as an “American citizen” and promised to defend his “constituent.” Van Hollen’s office later clarified that he “misspoke,” and had actually been referring to Garcia’s wife, who was born in the U.S. Requests for additional details about the trip’s funding went unanswered by Van Hollen’s office. Official overseas visits by members of Congress, known as CODELs (congressional delegations), require prior approval from leadership and coordination with foreign affairs panels. These trips must follow established ethics guidelines, including disclosure of gifts and expenses. Travel expenses are usually paid for by congressional, Department of Defense, or State Department budgets. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not respond to a request for comment regarding the matter. Last week, Representatives Maxwell Frost of Florida and Robert Garcia of California, both Democrats, reached out to House Oversight Chairman James Comer, asking for approval to organize a congressional delegation to El Salvador. They cited the Senate’s prior authorization of CODEL travel to CECOT in their request. Chairman Comer, however, firmly denied the request: “If you also wish to meet with him, you can spend your own money. But I will not approve a single dime of taxpayer funds for use on the excursion you have requested,” he stated. Regardless of the rejection, four Democratic lawmakers — Reps. Garcia, Frost, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, and Maxine Dexter of Oregon — arrived in El Salvador today to advocate for Abrego Garcia’s return. The use of government-funded travel to support a deported non-citizen has prompted backlash from members of the Trump administration and some Republicans, who argue that public resources should prioritize the needs of U.S. citizens and national security. On the April 16 episode of his Verdict podcast, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas commented, “Look, can the Democrats travel to El Salvador if they want, and is that part, reasonably, of their work? Yes, but what they’re doing is traveling there in order to highlight, ‘We want to bring this illegal immigrant whom two courts have found as an MS-13 member, back to America.’” “That’s astonishingly bad policy, and I think astonishingly bad politics,” Cruz added. Abrego Garcia has claimed that returning to El Salvador places him in danger of retaliation by Barrio 18, a violent gang that rivals MS-13. Documents from the Department of Justice and court records indicate that Abrego Garcia was detained in 2019 with two known MS-13 leaders while wearing clothing associated with the gang. A confidential informant also identified him as a member. Two separate immigration judges later ruled that he posed a threat to public safety and was a “verified member” of MS-13. Further records, reported by independent journalist Andy Ngo, show that Abrego Garcia’s wife had twice filed for domestic violence protection orders against him.