Two House Democrats are pushing for congressional approval to travel to El Salvador and visit deported illegal aliens being held at the country’s most secure prison facility. Reps. Robert Garcia of California and Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida submitted the request in a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer.

Garcia and Frost want to lead a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to CECOT, El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, where they hope to conduct so-called “welfare checks” on inmates recently deported by the Trump administration. They are asking to meet with at least two individuals—one an alleged gang member, the other a man they describe as a “makeup artist.”

Among the deportees the Democrats want to visit is 29-year-old Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who illegally crossed into the United States in 2011 and is accused of being a member of the violent MS-13 gang. Despite the serious accusations, Garcia and Frost are now lobbying to ensure he is being treated humanely after being returned to face justice in El Salvador.

They also requested access to 30-year-old Andry José Hernandez, described in the letter as a “LGBTQ makeup artist” with a pending asylum claim. Hernandez is reportedly among those deported in the recent crackdown, which has ramped up under the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement.

The lawmakers insist their visit is necessary to carry out “oversight” following President Trump’s recent comments about expanding deportations and holding violent criminals—including some U.S. citizens—in foreign detention facilities like CECOT. They wrote, “Congressional oversight is warranted following President Trump’s recent remarks in which he expressed a desire to send ‘homegrown criminals’ — including U.S. citizens — to this facility.”

They stressed urgency, stating they are “prepared to travel as soon as possible” and welcomed participation from Republican members of the Oversight Committee. They noted the Senate has already greenlit a similar trip and argued that the House should also have a presence on the ground.

This isn’t just another photo op—it’s part of a coordinated effort by Democrats to blur the lines between criminal enforcement and victim advocacy. At the center of this effort are individuals charged with serious crimes, now receiving sympathy and congressional attention simply because they are no longer on U.S. soil.

Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland is already leading his own CODEL to El Salvador to meet with deportees, including Abrego Garcia. The Senate visit sends a clear message that Democrats are more concerned with the well-being of foreign nationals—some of whom have terrorized American communities—than with upholding the rule of law at home.

Rather than backing the Trump administration’s tough-on-crime approach, Democrat lawmakers are prioritizing the reputations and comfort of individuals who have no legal right to remain in the United States. This includes individuals accused of gang violence and others who violated U.S. immigration law with impunity.

This push for prison welfare checks on deported criminals comes at a time when American families continue to suffer from the consequences of weak border policies. Thousands of innocent Americans have lost loved ones to crimes committed by illegal aliens, yet Washington Democrats are using taxpayer-funded resources to stage sympathy tours for foreign lawbreakers.

The American people have made it clear: they want secure borders, law and order, and consequences for those who break our laws. Instead, Democrats are offering excuses, overseas trips, and political theater on behalf of those who never should have been here in the first place.

This is what happens when the Left puts identity politics above public safety. President Trump and his allies are doing the hard work of restoring security and sovereignty. Republicans must continue to hold the line and reject these absurd efforts to turn violent offenders into victims.