Tom Homan Blasts Senator Van Hollen for Visiting Deported MS-13 Gang Member in El Salvador
Former Trump administration Border Czar Tom Homan appeared on ABC’s This Week with host Jon Karl to respond to Senator Chris Van Hollen’s controversial trip to El Salvador, where the Democrat lawmaker met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a deported Salvadoran national accused of being an MS-13 gang member and a national security threat.
Homan: “Van Hollen Never Visited the Border, But Flies to See a Gang Member”
“What bothers me more than that,” Homan said in response to Van Hollen’s visit, “is a U.S. Senator traveled to El Salvador on the taxpayer dime to meet with an MS-13 gang member, public safety threat, terrorist.”
Homan, who served as Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Trump, added that Van Hollen “never went to the border the last four years under Joe Biden,” even as the border faced historic surges in illegal crossings and fentanyl trafficking.
Due Process Debate: Karl Presses, Homan Pushes Back
During the segment, host Jon Karl challenged Homan’s perspective by framing Van Hollen’s visit as a defense of legal due process.
“He says he has done this because the issue here is due process, and it’s following a court order,” Karl said.
Homan stood firm, arguing that the Trump administration had acted within the bounds of constitutional authority and existing immigration statutes. “We removed a public safety threat, a national security threat… I think he’s exactly where he should be,” Homan said of Abrego Garcia’s removal to El Salvador.
Alien Enemies Act: A Legal Foundation for Swift Removal
Karl pressed further on constitutional protections for non-citizens facing deportation, specifically referencing the Fifth Amendment.
“The right of due process extends to everybody who would be deported. They have a chance to have a hearing on this,” Karl stated.
Homan responded by distinguishing between traditional deportation proceedings and those governed by the Alien Enemies Act, a long-standing legal provision that provides a different process in cases involving national security threats.
“I’m not arguing right here that nobody should get due process,” Homan said. “I’m just saying there’s a different process under the Alien Enemies Act.”
Trump Administration Stands Firm on Deportation Decision
Throughout the interview, Homan reiterated that the Trump administration had acted within the law in removing Abrego Garcia, citing both national security concerns and constitutional authority.
“We have followed the Constitution, and we have followed the law,” Homan concluded.
The clash over Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over immigration enforcement, national security, and the limits of executive power. With a 2026 election cycle looming, the political and legal implications of this case are likely to reverberate far beyond El Salvador.