Right now, there is a bill headed to President Trump’s desk that will protect Americans from deepfake and revenge pornography. This is an incredible win for Americans, and something I have been fighting for my entire career. 
Over decades in the cybersecurity field, I’ve helped solve a lot of crises for government agencies, major corporations and more. But there’s a certain kind of call that I still dread getting. It starts with a trembling voice on the other end of the line: “Can you help me?” As they tell their tale, my heart sinks. A lump forms in my throat. This is another life shattered by explicit images strewn across the digital public square, each notification on their phone another dagger into their sense of safety as the image spreads.
For years, my team and I have made a point to fight for these survivors. We make calls, write letters, beg social media giants to remove the content – real photos stolen from private moments or deepfakes conjured by AI’s dark alchemy. This crime is indiscriminate. It targets the socialites, the professionals, rising stars, the rich and the poor. One professional athlete, a courageous woman I helped, saw her stolen images resurface dozens of times over several years. She told me it made her want to stop leaving her house. Even Scarlett Johansson — a global icon with every possible resource at her fingertips — can’t banish her deepfakes for good. If she’s powerless, what chance do everyday victims have? They have to watch their trauma go viral, reliving it with every view. Some, in desperation, have taken their own lives.
There are different ways to refer to this phenomenon. Terms like “revenge porn” and “deepfake” are often used interchangeably. “Deepfake” describes a specific kind of AI-produced image that usually uses a reproduction of a real person’s face. I reject “revenge porn” because while it may sound edgy in headlines, it re-victimizes the victim. People take intimate images of themselves for all kinds of reasons, from self-confidence to sharing with someone they trust. That may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it doesn’t make it okay to share those peoples’ images without their consent in ways for which they weren’t intended. That’s why I refer to these pictures or videos as non-consensual intimate images, or NCII.
It wasn’t that long ago that pornography hid behind brown wrappers and clerks who checked IDs before you bought it. Now, anyone can steal an image, fabricate a lie, and blast it worldwide at lightning speed. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative estimates over 15 million Americans – that’s 1 out of every 23 of us – have faced NCII sharing, a number that continues to balloon as AI fuels the carnage. Deepfakes — 98% pornographic, 99% targeting women — number in the hundreds of thousands, with just 16 sites known for hosting them racking up 200 million visits in a six-month period last year.
Social media companies can do better. It’s the right thing to do, and they have the technology to do it. If their algorithm can figure out my favorite shoe color and relentlessly sell them to me, they should be able to address this plague across their platforms. They are making some efforts. Meta removed 1.2 million NCII items in 2024’s first half, but gaps persist. And it’s not entirely the fault of the platforms themselves. 

A tangle of laws and regulations used to combat NCII sharing makes the process slower and more difficult. A 2024 study found that X (formerly Twitter) left 25 reported deepfakes up for weeks, while removing copyright violations in hours – a stark sign that today’s laws prioritize property over people. YouTube and TikTok axe millions of videos over copyright claims, yet billions of views on deepfake sites reveal a glaring chasm. Victims currently have to navigate a maze of rules, pleading to faceless systems with no human to hear their pain and no guarantees the images will come down.
That’s why their haunting words echo in my mind: “Can you help me?” Yes, I can. But my team can’t chase resurgent ghosts across the internet forever.
Thankfully, Washington has woken up to the crisis. The &#8216;Take It Down Act&#8221; makes publishing non-consensual intimate imagery — real or AI-crafted — a federal crime and requires platforms to remove it within 48 hours of a victim’s plea. The bill’s sponsors are Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar – both outspoken, prominent members of their parties who have run for president in recent years. They have very little in common politically – although they are both parents of daughters. But they worked together to secure an astounding unanimous vote to pass the bill in the Senate. And this week, thankfully, it received an overwhelming victory in the House and is now headed to President Trump’s desk.
Critics, many from the libertarian tech crowd, claim the &#8220;Take It Down Act&#8221; stifles free speech, but protecting victims from abuse isn’t censorship — it’s justice. It helps the rule of law catch up with the pace of technology. It’s not about politics, it’s about people. By one estimate, over 4 million American children have been scarred by AI porn fakes of themselves or peers. The NCII porn pirates don’t care who you vote for – they will strike your family, your friends, your coworkers. The sensible updates to our laws included in the &#8220;Take It Down Act&#8221; will help us protect ourselves and each other. This is a victory worth celebrating.
* * *
Theresa Payton is the CEO of Fortalice Solutions. She was the first female White House chief information officer, serving under President George W. Bush.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Wire.

Senators Cruz And Lummis Hold Press Conference To Discuss Deepfakes

‘Can You Help Me?’ Why The ‘Take It Down Act’ Is A Lifeline For Victims

'Can You Help Me?' Why The 'Take It Down Act' Is A Lifeline For Victims

Artificial Intelligence

Congress

Deepfake

Melania Trump

Pornography

President Trump

Scarlett Johansson

Social Media

Technology

White House

Women

In one moment, embattled Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was touting polls that reflected poorly on President Donald Trump. In another, he was dismissing a survey that showed a grim approval rating for himself.
The inconsistent commentary on the significance of bad poll numbers, first <a href="https://x.com/frankthorp/status/1917304878327816344" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted</a> on X by NBC&#8217;s Frank Thorp V, happened Tuesday as Schumer and other Senate Democrats held a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-bVrqfslqI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press conference</a> to highlight &#8220;100 days of chaos&#8221; during Trump&#8217;s second term.
In his introductory remarks, Schumer said, &#8220;The polls this week show Trump has the lowest 100-day approval rating since they started polling 80 years ago. The lowest! Even worse, 72% of Americans think it&#8217;s likely that Trump&#8217;s handling of the economy will walk us directly into a recession.&#8221;
Less than 20 minutes later, during the same event, CNN&#8217;s Manu Raju <a href="https://x.com/mkraju/status/1917306463145415149" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> Schumer about his own dismal approval ratings.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a poll out today that has your approval ratings lower than any other congressional leader at 17%. Are you concerned that you may be a liability for your party?&#8221; Raju asked.
&#8220;Polls come and go,&#8221; Schumer replied. &#8220;Our party is united. We&#8217;re on our front foot. We&#8217;re stepping forward, going after Trump and having real success.&#8221;
Schumer has faced a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/embattled-schumer-crowns-himself-the-best-leader-for-the-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crisis</a> of confidence in his leadership among some Democrats ever since he refused to vote in favor of blocking a GOP stopgap bill to avert a partial government shutdown earlier this year.
The New York Democrat <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh6DQMjKuDk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN over the weekend that he was &#8220;staying put&#8221; after Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the second-ranked Democrat in the Senate, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-2-senate-democrat-dick-durbin-to-retire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last week, &#8220;In my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,&#8221; revealing that he would not seek re-election in 2026.
“I’m fighting the fight every day, as is our caucus, in a united and successful way, as you have seen by your poll and other polls,” Schumer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schumer-wont-rule-out-prioritizing-another-trump-impeachment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We’re showing America how bad Trump is, and showing that Republicans who embrace Trump do so at their peril.”
Just before he reached the 100-day milestone of his second term, Trump also disregarded the polls in a post to his social media platform on Monday.
&#8220;The Polls from the Fake News are, like the News itself, FAKE! We are doing GREAT, better than ever before,&#8221; he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114419185611217033" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Truth Social.

Minority Leader, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Schumer’s Poll Dance: Pounces On Trump’s Low Numbers, Ignores His Own Dismal Ratings

Chuck Schumer

Democrats

Donald Trump

Politics

Polls

U.S. Senate

On Monday, the GOP-led House overwhelmingly passed a bill championed by First Lady Melania Trump to protect victims of non-consensual intimate imagery, including <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-leads-colleagues-in-unveiling-landmark-bill-to-protect-victims-of-deepfake-revenge-porn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revenge porn</a> using AI-generated deepfakes.
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/146/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a>, called the &#8220;Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act,&#8221; <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the support of 207 Republicans and 202 Democrats.
Once signed into law, the legislation would prohibit the non-consensual online publication of intimate visual depictions, including digital forgeries, imposing fines, imprisonment, and mandatory restitution for violations, particularly when intended to harm adults or exploit minors. The bill also requires online platforms hosting user-generated content to remove such depictions within 48 hours of a removal request, with the Federal Trade Commission enforcing compliance.
The Senate <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/index.php/2025/2/cruz-klobuchar-bill-to-protect-teenagers-from-deepfake-revenge-porn-unanimously-passes-the-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unanimously</a> passed the bill, authored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), in February. In the weeks that followed, Melania Trump encouraged the House to pass the bill during a roundtable discussion with Cruz, other lawmakers, survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery, and online safety advocates, according to the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/readout-from-first-lady-melania-trumps-roundtable-discussion-on-online-protection-and-the-take-it-down-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a>. During her remarks, the first lady <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yr6AvaDnXo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> about protecting young people, especially girls, from &#8220;malicious online content&#8221; such as deepfakes.
&#8220;This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said. &#8220;Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm.&#8221;
Having passed both chambers, the bill now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
&#8220;Today, the House took a critical step to combat the growing online publication of real and deepfake nonconsensual intimate images with the passage of the Take It Down Act. I want to thank First Lady Melania Trump for championing this important legislation that empowers and provides protections to victims of online sexual exploitation,&#8221; Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a statement. “It also criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate images and mandates their removal from online platforms once reported. The First Lady’s leadership has been instrumental in the bill’s passage, and we look forward to seeing this signed into law.&#8221;
Melania Trump also released a statement, mentioning her &#8220;Be Best&#8221; initiative.
&#8220;Today’s bipartisan passage of the Take It Down Act is a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I am thankful to the Members of Congress — both in the House and Senate — who voted to protect the well-being of our youth. Through this critical legislation and our continued focus with ‘Be Best,’ we are building a future where every child can thrive and achieve their full potential.&#8221;
Just two members, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Eric Burlison (R-MO), voted against it.
Before the House vote, Massie <a href="https://x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1916984817767579966" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X screenshots of a Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/08/take-it-down-act-deepfakes-ncii-flaws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> that highlighted how critics said the deepfake bill is &#8220;flawed.&#8221; The Kentucky Republican said: &#8220;Tonight we’re voting on the &#8216;TAKE IT DOWN Act,&#8217; a bill that would impose federal criminal and civil penalties for publishing unauthorized intimate pictures generated with AI. I’m voting NO because I feel this is a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences.&#8221;

First Lady Melania Trump

House Passes Melania-Backed Bill To Fight Deepfake Revenge Porn

Online porn

Ted Cruz

U.S. House of Representatives

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) reintroduced the anti-corruption PELOSI Act on Friday, aiming to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, while President Trump signaled he would sign such legislation into law.
The legislation, whose acronym PELOSI stands for &#8220;Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments,&#8221; and is named after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose husband has drawn <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/deceptive-tactic-nancy-pelosi-disclosed-180000159.html">scrutiny</a> for millions in suspected insider trading.
&#8220;Members of Congress should be fighting for the people they were elected to serve — not day trading at the expense of their constituents,&#8221; Hawley <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-reintroduces-pelosi-act-to-ban-congress-from-trading-stocks/">stated</a>, according to a press release from his office.
&#8220;Americans have seen politician after politician turn a profit using information not available to the general public,&#8221; the Missouri Republican added. &#8220;It&#8217;s time we ban all members of Congress from trading and holding stocks and restore Americans&#8217; trust in our nation&#8217;s legislative body.&#8221;
Under Hawley&#8217;s proposal, elected officials and their spouses would be barred from owning individual stocks while serving in Congress.
The legislation would still allow investment in broader financial instruments such as mutual funds, ETFs, and Treasury bonds.
The bill provides a six-month grace period for compliance after enactment. Any lawmaker refusing to divest would face financial penalties and surrender profits to the federal treasury.
The Government Accountability Office would be required to audit congressional compliance with the law within two years of enactment and submit a report to congressional ethics committees, according to the <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Hawley-PELOSI-Act.pdf">legislation</a>.
When asked on Friday by a reporter if he would support a ban on congressional stock trading, President Trump said he would “absolutely” sign such a bill.
&#8220;Well, I watched Nancy Pelosi get rich through insider information, and I would be okay with it. If they send that to me, I would do it,&#8221; the President said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It is time! Pass my PELOSI Act now &#8211; no stock trading by members of Congress <a href="https://t.co/w1enBmv0BG">https://t.co/w1enBmv0BG</a>
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1915759963386822771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A 2022 New York Times investigation <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/09/13/us/politics/congress-members-stock-trading-list.html">identified</a> at least 97 members of Congress who reported stock trades that potentially intersected with their committee work, raising questions about whether elected officials were using privileged information to enrich themselves.
The issue has <a href="https://publicconsultation.org/united-states/stock-trading-by-members-of-congress/">garnered</a> bipartisan support for reform, with polls consistently showing over 80% of Americans favor banning congressional stock trading.
Similar legislation has been introduced in previous sessions of Congress but failed to advance to a floor vote in either chamber despite widespread public support.

119th Congress Begins Its Term On Capitol Hill

Sen. Hawley Reintroduces PELOSI Act To Curb Congressional Stock Trading, Trump Signals Approval

Corruption

Insider Trading

Josh Hawley

Nancy Pelosi

Paul Pelosi

Stock Market

On Monday, a House Democrat introduced seven articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, kicking off a bid that has virtually no chance of succeeding in the Republican-led Congress.
The impeachment resolution from Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) accuses Trump of &#8220;high crimes and misdemeanors&#8221; over alleged constitutional violations related to taxpayer funds, deportations, tariffs, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort led by Elon Musk, retaliation against the press, and others.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) has introduced 7 articles of impeachment against <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>.
Alleged violations range from usurping approps. powers to dismissing criminal cases “for personal and political gain.” <a href="https://t.co/qoZGNBvu2v">pic.twitter.com/qoZGNBvu2v</a>
— Sam Lisker (@slisker) <a href="https://twitter.com/slisker/status/1916922167918317817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to serve as President and represents a clear and present danger to our nation&#8217;s constitution and our democracy,&#8221; Thanedar said in a <a href="https://thanedar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-shri-thanedar-introduces-articles-of-impeachment-against-president-donald-j-trump-for-high-crimes-and-misdemeanors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;His unlawful actions have subverted the justice system, violated the separation of powers, and placed personal power and self-interest above public service. We cannot wait for more damage to be done. Congress must act.&#8221;
In a video posted on social media, Thanedar claimed the &#8220;final straw&#8221; was Trump defying a Supreme Court ruling that the government must &#8220;facilitate&#8221; the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant deported to his home country of El Salvador.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump.
When Trump ignores the Constitution, Congress, and the courts, he is not “fighting for America.”
He is tearing it down and endangering our democracy. <a href="https://t.co/40iBTZKjkC">pic.twitter.com/40iBTZKjkC</a>
— Congressman Shri Thanedar (@RepShriThanedar) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepShriThanedar/status/1916920864521519363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
The announcement came hours after Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney launched a 2026 primary campaign for the Detroit-area district against Thanedar, a 70-year-old Indian immigrant serving his second term in the House. McKinney joins former state Sen. Adam Hollier, who is challenging Thanedar for a <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/04/14/adam-hollier-shri-thanedar-detroit-congressional-district/83080051007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third time</a>, and has already received an <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5270956-michigan-state-rep-challenges-thanedar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsement</a> from the leftist Justice Democrats.
&#8220;People like our congressman, Shri Thanedar, are the problem,&#8221; McKinney <a href="https://x.com/DonavanMI13/status/1916838690044719129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an announcement video. &#8220;A multimillionaire who spent millions to buy a seat in Congress, who has more in common with Donald Trump and Elon Musk than people like us.&#8221;
During his first term, Trump was impeached twice when the Democrats commanded the House. One inquiry dealt with Ukraine, and the other with January 6. Both efforts ended in acquittal by a GOP-led Senate.
Because the House and Senate are now controlled by Republicans who are largely aligned with the president, Thanedar&#8217;s articles of impeachment are likely to go nowhere. That has been the case with articles of impeachment <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-democrat-moves-to-impeach-trump-over-dastardly-deeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> by Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who accused Trump of committing &#8220;dastardly deeds&#8221; in the first couple of weeks of his second term.
&#8220;This is not about partisanship,&#8221; Thanedar said in his statement. &#8220;It’s about protecting our democracy and ensuring that no one, not even a President, is above the law.&#8221;
Referring to what has been dubbed &#8220;Trump Derangement Syndrome,&#8221; Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was among those to mock the latest impeachment attempt.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a day that ends in &#8216;-Y&#8217;, which means liberal Democrats are again trying to impeach [the president] for delivering the will of the people,&#8221; Mullin <a href="https://x.com/SenMullin/status/1916932777036984584" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X. &#8220;TDS is strong. MAGA is stronger.&#8221;

Rep. Shri Thanedar

Democrat Unveils 7 Articles Of Impeachment Against Trump

House Democrats

Impeachment

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee, announced on Monday that his cancer has &#8220;returned&#8221; and he will not seek re-election next year.
Connolly, 75, first <a href="https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6160" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> in November, right after the 2024 election, that he had cancer of the esophagus with no symptoms aside from some &#8220;intermittent&#8221; abdominal aches and pains. At the time, he pledged to keep working while undergoing treatment.
&#8220;When I announced my diagnosis six months ago, I promised transparency,&#8221; Connolly <a href="https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6412" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;After grueling treatments, we&#8217;ve learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned. I’ll do everything possible to continue to represent you and thank you for your grace.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress. I will be stepping back as Ranking Member of the Oversight Committee soon. With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we&#8217;ve accomplished together over 30 years. My loving family and staff sustain me. My extended family – you all have been a joy to serve.&#8221;
In December, Connolly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/aoc-loses-bid-to-become-top-oversight-dem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alexandria-ocasio-cortez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> (D-NY) to become the ranking member of the oversight panel. With Connolly stepping aside, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) will take over the role &#8220;for now,&#8221; sources <a href="https://x.com/bresreports/status/1916886850679304677" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Punchbowl News.
Some of Connolly&#8217;s colleagues, from both the Democratic and Republican parties, were among those to respond to his announcement on X.
&#8220;Thank you, Ranking Member [Connolly], for your decades of service. It’s been an honor to work with you on [Oversight Democrats], where your leadership has helped bring transparency and accountability to the new administration. Keeping you in my prayers,&#8221; said Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH).
&#8220;Although we may differ passionately on many topics, we can unite on one truth: cancer sucks. I extend my heartfelt wishes to my colleague [Connolly] for strength, fortitude, and energy in his battle against cancer,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/Kat_Cammack/status/1916878078795563230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL).
Connolly began his announcement, which was addressed to &#8220;friends,&#8221; by &#8220;thanking you for your good wishes and compassion as I continue to tackle my diagnosis. Your outpouring of love and support has given me strength in my fights – both against cancer and in our collective defense of democracy.&#8221;

Rep. Gerry Connolly

Top House Oversight Dem Won’t Seek Re-Election After Cancer Resurgence

Cancer

On Sunday, embattled Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would not rule out prioritizing another impeachment effort against President Donald Trump if Democrats take back power in Congress after the 2026 midterm elections.
CNN anchor Dana Bash pressed Schumer on the question during an interview on &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; noting how Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) said he &#8220;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/politics/jon-ossoff-trump-impeachment/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strongly</a>&#8221; agreed that Trump needs to be impeached.
&#8220;Your colleague from Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff told voters at a town hall that he &#8216;strongly&#8217; agrees that President Trump should be impeached. Do you agree with him? Would that be a priority if Democrats were to take back Congress?&#8221; Bash asked.
&#8220;Well, look, right now, President Trump is violating rule of law in every way,&#8221; Schumer claimed. &#8220;We&#8217;re fighting him every single day in every way. And our goal is to show the American people over and over again, whether it&#8217;s the economy, whether it&#8217;s tariffs, whether it&#8217;s Russia and overseas, and whether it&#8217;s rule of law, how bad he is. And two years is too far away to predict. Our job is day to day to day to show who Trump is, what he is doing. And it&#8217;s having an effect.&#8221;
Bash cut in as Schumer started talking about polls, &#8220;But you&#8217;re not ruling out &#8230; You&#8217;re not saying no?&#8221;
Schumer would not take a stance either way. &#8220;Look, it&#8217;s too far away to even judge,&#8221; he said.
Trump was impeached twice during his first term by the House, which was then controlled by the Democrats. One effort dealt with Ukraine, and the other with January 6. Both bids ended in acquittal by a GOP-led Senate.
Schumer, who is facing a crisis of confidence in his leadership after he refused to obstruct a GOP stopgap bill to avert a partial government shutdown earlier this year, insisted that he is staying put and sent a warning to Republicans.
&#8220;I&#8217;m fighting the fight every day, as is our caucus, in a united and successful way, as you have seen by your poll and other polls,&#8221; Schumer said. &#8220;We&#8217;re showing America how bad Trump is, and showing that Republicans who embrace Trump do so at their peril.&#8221;

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y

Schumer Won’t Rule Out Prioritizing Another Trump Impeachment

U.S.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who rose up the ranks to become the second-ranked Democrat in the Senate during his more than four decades in Congress, announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2026.
His move sets the stage for a potentially fierce primary fight among Democrats in a deep-blue state.
&#8220;The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,&#8221; Durbin said in a video. &#8220;I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I have given more than half of my life to House and Senate Congressional service, and I’ve always tried to stand up to power on behalf of the people of Illinois and our country.
I am proud of what I have achieved and hope my record will speak for itself. <a href="https://t.co/oiY49IQCUF">pic.twitter.com/oiY49IQCUF</a>
&mdash; Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin/status/1915076692030169535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Illinois voters elected Durbin to the House in 1982 and the Senate in 1996. Durbin served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and helped to confirm 235 judges, including Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. He became the second-ranking Democrat whip in 2005.
Durbin, 80, is the fourth Democrat in the upper chamber to rule out a re-election campaign in 2026. The others are Sens. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-senator-gary-peters-wont-run-for-re-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gary Peters</a> (D-MI), <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democratic-sen-jeanne-shaheen-wont-run-in-2026-opening-up-key-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeanne Shaheen</a> (D-NH), and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-dem-senator-announces-she-wont-run-for-re-election-in-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tina Smith</a> (D-MN).
A number of Democrats are expected to announce campaigns for Durbin&#8217;s seat, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL).
The GOP could also compete, but it will likely be a tough race for any Republican who decides to run. When Durbin secured his fifth term in 2020, he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-illinois-senate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> Republican candidate Mark Curran by more than 15 percentage points.
Currently, Republicans have a 53-seat <a href="https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">majority</a> in the Senate. There are also 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them.
Durbin&#8217;s office said he is the longest-serving whip for either party. His impending retirement also paves the way to a future contest for the role, which is used to <a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/parties-leadership/party-whips.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rally</a> members and secure votes.
Durbin’s career has not been without controversy, as reported by The Daily Wire.
One story covered how Durbin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dick-durbin-apologizes-to-tim-scott-after-calling-his-police-reform-bill-token" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologized</a> to Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the sole black Republican in the Senate, for referring to his police reform legislation as a &#8220;token&#8221; solution. Another focused on Durbin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dick-durbin-attacks-gop-governors-over-transporting-migrants-to-democrat-cities-broken-every-basic-standard-of-decency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accusing</a> Republican governors of violating “every basic standard of decency” by transporting migrants to sanctuary cities.
Mike Davis, who helped oversee the vetting of judicial appointments as a GOP Senate staffer and now runs the conservative Article III Project, was among those who responded to Durbin&#8217;s announcement.
&#8220;Dick Durbin is, by far, the smartest and most effective Democrat senator,&#8221; Davis <a href="https://x.com/mrddmia/status/1915073436784759273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;He is a political savage, who comes across as Midwest reasonable. Big loss for Senate Democrats, with unhinged partisan Sheldon Whitehouse taking over Senate Judiciary Democrats.&#8221;
Former President Barack Obama, who served as a U.S. senator from Illinois alongside Durbin before winning the White House, lauded his former colleague.
&#8220;As an Illinois voter, I couldn’t be prouder that our senator for the last 28 years has been one of the finest in the country. Dick Durbin has always fought the good fight on behalf of working families, and his integrity shines through in everything he does,&#8221; Obama <a href="https://x.com/BarackObama/status/1915080417876517007">said</a> on X.
&#8220;It’s also true that I would not have been a United States Senator – and certainly would not have been President – had it not been for Dick’s support,&#8221; Obama added. &#8220;He has been a great and loyal friend, and Michelle and I wish him and Loretta all the best in their next chapter.&#8221;

Senator Dick Durbin

No. 2 Senate Democrat Dick Durbin To Retire

Dick Durbin

Election

Illinois

On Monday, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced it would cover travel costs for House Democrats to visit Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador amid his wrongful deportation lawsuit — on one condition.
&#8220;The NRCC is offering to pick up the tab for any House Democrat eager to hang out with their new poster child in El Salvador, a confirmed illegal immigrant, MS-13 gang member, and alleged domestic abuser,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;We just have one condition: Livestream the whole thing. Snap plenty of selfies with your MS-13 buddies — the same violent criminals you’re trying to reimport into American neighborhoods to rape, kill, and terrorize law-abiding citizens.&#8221;
NRCC&#8217;s statement linked to a <a href="https://x.com/KatiePavlich/status/1912616487744950580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X about Abrego Garcia, whom the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> of being a member of MS-13. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> the claim, but the government has released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> to substantiate the affiliation. A 2021 restraining order <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News+and+Commentary&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A++Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> Abrego Garcia was accused of beating his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who now says they worked through the incident.
“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. We’ll pay for the plane tickets, they just can’t forget to smile for the camera while they sell out their constituents,&#8221; said NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella.
The NRCC released its statement on the same day that four House Democrats <a href="https://x.com/AnthonyAdragna/status/1914298706561552550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in El Salvador to &#8220;pressure&#8221; the Trump administration to abide by a Supreme Court order to &#8220;facilitate&#8221; Abrego Garcia&#8217;s return to the United States. C-SPAN&#8217;s Craig Caplan <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1914337664402079985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the Democrats&#8217; offices said their trip &#8220;is not being financed by taxpayer dollars&#8221; after House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-leaders-deny-taxpayer-money-for-dems-to-make-el-salvador-prison-trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rejected</a> a <a href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-robert-garcia-and-congressman-maxwell-frost-demand-oversight-codel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">request</a> for a Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) to El Salvador.
&#8220;We have arrived in El Salvador. [President Donald] Trump is illegally arresting, jailing, &amp; deporting people with no due process. We must hold the Administration accountable for these illegal acts and demand Kilmar’s release. Today it’s him, tomorrow it could be anyone else,&#8221; Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) <a href="https://x.com/MaxwellFrostFL/status/1914321852920479774" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) took a swipe at Frost and his Democrat colleagues who made the journey to El Salvador.
&#8220;Today, House Democrats travel to El Salvador as part of their obsession to bring a violent illegal alien and member of MS-13 BACK INTO the United States,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1914390276266975378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;Could the contrast be more clear? House Republicans remain committed to doing everything we can to protect American families and keep dangerous gang members OUT of our country.&#8221;
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) travelled to El Salvador last week to check on Abrego Garcia, whom he claims is a Maryland &#8220;constituent.&#8221; A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meeting</a> took place on Thursday evening. Van Hollen later <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1913954303418474622" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conceded</a> during an interview on &#8220;Fox News Sunday&#8221; that his trip to El Salvador was funded by taxpayer dollars.

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL)

GOP Offers To Pay For Dem Trips To El Salvador — On One Condition

El Salvador

Illegal Immigation

Mike Johnson

On Sunday, Trump border czar Tom Homan condemned Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for making a taxpayer funded trip to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant who was deported from the United States last month.
Homan redirected a question from ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week&#8221; by anchor Jonathan Karl when pressed about Abrego Garcia, who has been imprisoned in El Salvador, his home country. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s legal team has been <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fighting</a> the federal government in a high-profile court to secure his return to the United States. Van Hollen, who claims Abrego Garcia is a Maryland “constituent” who endured an &#8220;abduction and unlawful deportation,&#8221; met the man on Thursday.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RealTomHoman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealTomHoman</a> : &quot;A U.S. senator traveled to El Salvador on taxpayers&#39; dime to meet with a MS-13 gang member &#8230; How many Angel Moms and Dads has he met in the state of Maryland?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dkpuxWGIMn">pic.twitter.com/dkpuxWGIMn</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1913956139504480315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Sen. Van Hollen is — obviously got a chance to meet with [Abrego Garcia], but he had to travel to El Salvador to get any information. Is (sic) that concern you at all? I mean, these are people sent by — I mean, in his case, sent by the United States, and not even a U.S. senator could get any information about his whereabouts, or the condition of his incarceration, without actually going down and making the trip to El Salvador himself?&#8221; Karl asked.
&#8220;Well, he obviously knew his whereabouts, because he went there to see him. But you know, what bothers me more than that is a U.S. senator traveled to El Salvador on taxpayer dime to meet with an MS-13 gang member, public safety threat, terrorist. I mean, in the meantime, the day before he traveled, an illegal alien was arrested for murder, was released to the streets rather than honoring an ICE detainer in his very own state,&#8221; Homan retorted.
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, which has been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> as a foreign terror organization, and has released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-van-hollen-did-not-ask-deported-illegal-immigrant-ms-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photo</a> evidence to substantiate the affiliation. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> the claim.
On CNN, Van Hollen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-van-hollen-did-not-ask-deported-illegal-immigrant-ms-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dared</a> the Trump administration to bring up the gang affiliation claim in Abrego Garcia’s ongoing deportation case. The senator also <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1913954303418474622" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conceded</a> during an interview on &#8220;Fox News Sunday&#8221; that his trip to El Salvador was funded by taxpayer dollars.
Homan went on to criticize Van Hollen over the border crisis during President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration.
&#8220;What concerns me is Van Hollen never went to the border the last four years under Joe Biden, when he had a 600% increase in sex trafficking in women and children,&#8221; Homan said. &#8220;You have a record number of known inspected terrorists crossing that border. You had a quarter of a million Americans die from fentanyl overdose because of the open border. You had over 4,000 illegal aliens died making that journey, which is an historic record. What shocks me is he&#8217;s remained silent on the travesty that happened on the southern border. Many people died, thousands of people died. I met with hundreds of Angel moms and dads who buried their children that were murdered by illegal aliens. How many Angel moms and dads has he met in the state of Maryland? That&#8217;s what concerns me.&#8221;
Last week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-calls-surprise-briefing-with-patty-morin-whose-daughter-was-killed-by-illegal-alien?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Calls+Surprise+Briefing+With+Patty+Morin%2C+Whose+Daughter+Was+Killed+By+Illegal+Alien" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> Van Hollen and other Democrats who have rallied in support of Abrego Garcia during a press briefing alongside <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-briefing-room-an-angel-mom-begs-white-house-media-to-tell-the-truth-about-illegal-crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patty Morin</a>, whose daughter, Rachel, 37, was raped and murdered in Maryland two years ago by another illegal immigrant from El Salvador.
“It’s appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incapable of having any shred of common sense or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens,” Leavitt said.

US Border Czar Tom Homan

Trump Border Czar Tears Into Dem Senator Van Hollen For El Salvador Trip

Border Crisis

Tom Homan

Trump Administration

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said on Sunday he did not bother to press Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant deported from the United States and sent to prison in his home country of El Salvador, to answer whether he is or has ever been a member of MS-13 when the two met last week.
The Democrat, who contends that Abrego Garcia is a “constituent” of Maryland who was unlawfully deported, told CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash he did not ask &#8220;because I know what his answer is: what he told me was he was sad and traumatized that he was being in prison because he has committed no crimes, and that goes to the heart of this issue because he&#8217;s being denied his due process rights.&#8221;
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BASH: “Can you say with absolute certainty that he is not, nor has he ever been a member of the MS-13 gang, and did you ask him point blank?”
VAN HOLLEN: “What Donald Trump is trying to do here is change the subject. The subject at hand is that he and his administration are… <a href="https://t.co/QlXZZANLXf">pic.twitter.com/QlXZZANLXf</a>
&mdash; State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1913945462542942658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old living in Maryland, was detained and deported to El Salvador last month <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-legacy-media-for-focusing-on-deported-salvadoran-ignoring-angel-mom-patty-morin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">despite</a> a 2019 court order prohibiting him from being sent back to the country. His legal team has been <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fighting</a> the federal government in a high-profile court to secure his return to the United States.
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, which has been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> as a foreign terror organization, and has released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> to substantiate the affiliation. Among them was a 2019 interview sheet in which police wrote that a confidential informant identified Abrego Garcia as a member of the gang. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> the claim.
After Van Hollen met with Abrego Garcia on Thursday, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele posted photos of the encounter on X. One photo <a href="https://x.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> there were tattoos on the knuckles of Abrego Garcia&#8217;s left hand, a possible sign of gang membership.
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Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” &amp; “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 <a href="https://t.co/r6VWc6Fjtn">pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn</a>
&mdash; Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald Trump then posted on social media a photo of himself holding a photo of a hand. It was titled &#8220;Kilmar Abrego Garcia MS-13 Tattoo&#8221; and showed a close-up picture of a hand with a cannabis leaf, smiley face, cross, and skull tattooed across four knuckles. In his post, Trump alluded to the 2019 immigration case and a 2021 restraining order that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News+and+Commentary&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A++Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> Abrego Garcia was accused of beating his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who now says they worked through the incident.
&#8220;This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such &#8216;a fine and innocent person.&#8217; They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc. I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
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This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such “a fine and innocent person.” They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found… <a href="https://t.co/31sNr2k1SK">pic.twitter.com/31sNr2k1SK</a>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1913358867708493982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Van Hollen insisted that the president is trying to distract people and dared the Trump administration to bring up the gang affiliation claim in Abrego Garcia&#8217;s ongoing deportation case.
&#8220;He and his administration are defying a court order to give Abrego Garcia his due process rights. They are trying to litigate on social media what they should be doing in the courts they need to put up or shut up in the courts,&#8221; Van Hollen said. &#8220;Let me tell you, I decided to write this down so I could be absolutely accurate as to what federal district Court Judge Zennis said about these allegations by the Trump administration, quote, &#8216;No evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or any terrorist activity has been presented to the court.&#8217; That&#8217;s where to litigate this. It&#8217;s been litigated in many other places, so I&#8217;m not going to get into the details because the whole purpose of our court system is for them to adjudicate these things, not for Donald Trump to go off on social media.&#8221;

Sen. Chris Van Hollen

Dem Senator Says He Did Not Ask Deported Illegal Immigrant About MS-13

Illegal Immigration

MS-13 Gang

Republican leaders in the House have denied requests by Democrats to approve congressional trips to check on deportees at a mega prison in El Salvador.
With a post to X on Friday, House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) revealed a letter in which he told a pair of Democrats that he was rejecting their <a href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-robert-garcia-and-congressman-maxwell-frost-demand-oversight-codel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demand</a> for authorization of a Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) to visit the Terrorism Confinement Center or CECOT.
&#8220;If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so,&#8221; Comer <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesComer/status/1913321711958712768" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in his social media post that showed a screenshot of the letter. &#8220;I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested.&#8221;
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If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so.
I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested. <a href="https://t.co/ldokDJBTve">pic.twitter.com/ldokDJBTve</a>
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJamesComer/status/1913321711958712768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Comer&#8217;s letter was addressed to Reps. Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL), who had sent a <a href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/robertgarcia.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/garcia-frost-letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">request</a> to the chairman this week, saying they wanted to visit CECOT to check on the wellbeing of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who Democrats say has been unlawfully deported and imprisoned, and others held at the prison. Reps. Garcia and Frost noted they would &#8220;gladly include&#8221; any Republicans who wanted to join.
Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old living in Maryland, was detained and deported to El Salvador last month <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-legacy-media-for-focusing-on-deported-salvadoran-ignoring-angel-mom-patty-morin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">despite</a> a 2019 court order prohibiting him from being sent back to the country. His legal team has been <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fighting</a> the federal government in a high-profile court to secure his return to the United States. The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, which has been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> as a foreign terror organization. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> that their client is part of the gang, but the government publicly released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> to substantiate the affiliation.
In his letter, Comer said Reps. Garcia and Frost requested that he approve from the oversight panel&#8217;s budget &#8220;official travel for you both to visit the country of El Salvador to meet with a foreign MS-13 gang member whose wife accused him of crimes and who is strongly suspected of human trafficking.&#8221;
The chairman was referring to a 2021 restraining order that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News+and+Commentary&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A++Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> Abrego Garcia was accused of beating his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who now says they worked through the incident. He also pointed to a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/kilmar-abrego-garcia-suspected-human-trafficking-report-obtained-fox-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> that said Abrego Garcia was pulled over in 2022 and suspected of human trafficking, although authorities <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/18/us-news/alleged-ms-13-gangbanger-kilmar-abrego-garcia-suspected-of-human-trafficking-feds-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">say</a> the Biden administration&#8217;s FBI opted not to make an arrest at that time.
Comer told Reps. Garcia and Frost it is &#8220;absurd that you both displayed active hostility for over two years toward the Committee&#8217;s oversight of the Biden Border crisis and the consequences of millions of illegal aliens entering the country, yet now, you are seeking travel at Committee expense to meet with foreign gang members.&#8221;
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) travelled to El Salvador this week and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met</a> with Abrego Garcia on Thursday evening. He claims Abrego Garcia is a “constituent” who endured an “abduction and unlawful deportation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” &amp; “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 <a href="https://t.co/r6VWc6Fjtn">pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn</a>
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Alluding to photos shared by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, Comer quipped to Reps. Garcia and Frost they would be &#8220;pleased to know&#8221; Van Hollen &#8220;was photographed just yesterday in El Salvador enjoying margaritas garnished with cherry slices with the foreign gang member your letter references.&#8221;
Van Hollen, for his part, <a href="https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1913332841972466132" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> neither he nor Abrego Garcia &#8220;touched&#8221; the drinks that appeared to be margaritas. Van Hollen also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_htG1N-1w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Abrego Garcia told him that he had been moved to another detention center with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_htG1N-1w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;better&#8221;</a> conditions.
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), similarly rebuffed multiple Democrats pushing for a visit with Abrego Garcia.
&#8220;There is no excuse for Democrats to waste taxpayer dollars visiting and defending a transnational gang member and reported domestic abuser,&#8221; Green said in a <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/2025/04/17/chairman-green-responds-to-homeland-democrats-calls-to-visit-deported-salvadoran-ms-13-gang-member-domestic-abuser/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Thursday. &#8220;If Democrats care so much about defending this individual, they can use their own personal credit cards — not taxpayers’ money — to virtue-signal to their radical base.&#8221;
Yet another committee leader, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), recently shared photos of a trip he took to CECOT.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks to President Trump, the CECOT prison in El Salvador, which is home to some of the country&#8217;s most vicious criminals, now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans.
It is unconscionable that Democrats in Congress are… <a href="https://t.co/nWTxveW9bs">pic.twitter.com/nWTxveW9bs</a>
— Rep. Jason Smith (@RepJasonSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJasonSmith/status/1912326135934837215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Thanks to President Trump, the CECOT prison in El Salvador, which is home to some of the country&#8217;s most vicious criminals, now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans,&#8221; Smith said. &#8220;It is unconscionable that Democrats in Congress are urging the release of more foreign criminals back into our country.&#8221;

Representative James Comer

GOP Leaders Deny Taxpayer Money For Dems To Make El Salvador Prison Trip

James Comer

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