The House GOP’s election arm just made a bold move. They’re offering to pay for Democrats’ future trips to El Salvador. But there’s a catch — lawmakers have to film the whole thing.
"If out-of-touch House Democrats are so desperate to cozy up to violent gang members, the least they can do is let Americans watch the show," said NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella. "We’ll pay for the plane tickets, they just can’t forget to smile for the camera while they sell out their constituents."
This jab follows Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s trip to El Salvador. He met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant married to a U.S. citizen. The Trump administration says he’s an MS-13 member with a violent history.
Democrats argue Abrego Garcia is a wrongly deported husband and father. Four progressive House Democrats — Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia, Yassamin Ansari, and Maxine Dexter — are currently there too. They’re with his lawyer, trying to bring him back to the U.S.
Frost told Fox News they haven’t been able to meet him. Their group insists the trip isn’t taxpayer-funded, but didn’t reveal the source of funding.
This unfolds as Trump’s administration battles the courts. He’s facing pressure over deporting suspected gang members like those in MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Supporters say due process was followed; critics say it was ignored.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court sided with a lower ruling. It ordered the Trump administration to bring Abrego Garcia back and handle his case as if he’d never been deported.
Republicans aren’t letting up. The NRSC released a mock vacation ad aimed at Democrats. It shows El Salvador as a hotspot for those “bringing violent criminal illegal aliens back to America.”
"Come witness Trump Derangement Syndrome in its purest form," the video’s narrator says. "So, what are you waiting for, Senate Democrats?"