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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem thrashed Democrats on Wednesday for their continued demands to un-deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying they are trying to help “a terrorist” at the expense of Americans.
During a hearing on her department’s budget, Ms. Noem was repeatedly targeted with questions about the handling of the MS-13 gang suspect who was deported — the administration has admitted improperly — to El Salvador in March.
But Ms. Noem said now that he’s there, he will remain there, as he should. And she lashed out at Democrats for making him into a martyr for their opposition to President Trump.
“It’s got to be extremely discouraging to be one of your constituents. To see you fight for a terrorist like this, and not fight for them is extremely alarming to me,” Ms. Noem told Rep. Dan Goldman, New York Democrat.
Mr. Goldman frothed at the accusation, pointing angrily back at Ms. Noem.
“I’m fighting for due process,” he said.
Mr. Abrego Garcia was one of more than 250 people sent to El Salvador as part of three controversial planeloads in mid-March. A judge had tried to stop the planes, but they flew anyway, delivering mostly Venezuelan men suspected of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang. Dozens of others were El Salvadorans who the administration says are part of MS-13, and whom Ms. Noem’s department says were being returned to their home country.
A federal judge has questioned the MS-13 finding and ordered the government to try to un-deport him. The Supreme Court has stepped in and ordered the government to “facilitate” that return, albeit with due recognition of the president’s power to conduct foreign policy.
Homeland Security has since produced evidence that Mr. Abrego Garcia beat his wife and was involved in migrant smuggling, in addition to his standing deportation order.
Democrats, after initially defending Mr. Abrego Garcia as a wronged target, now largely focus on the court process, saying he should have had more of a chance to argue his case in federal courts.
Republicans said the objections by Democrats are an attempt to undercut Mr. Trump’s border security efforts.
“There’s nothing the Democrats love more than defending the cartels, the criminal and the rapists,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican.
Democrats on Wednesday also demanded answers on three U.S. citizen children who were flown home with their mothers when those women were formally deported.
One 2-year-old was flown with its mother to Honduras, and a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old with cancer were flown with their mother, also to Honduras.
Democrats said the children were “deported.”
Ms. Noem, though, said U.S. citizens aren’t deported.
She said in the cases of the two mothers, they both chose to bring their children with them. She said under U.S. policy, they have that choice and it would be wrong for the government to make that determination for them.
“In both of those cases the mothers chose to keep the children with them,” Ms. Noem said.
She also said the U.S. has assurances that the 4-year-old’s cancer treatments are able to continue in Honduras.
Democrats attacked Ms. Noem as forcefully as she did them.
Rep. Delia Ramirez, Illinois Democrat, accused the secretary of trying to “terrorize” families by urging illegal immigrants to self-deport.
And she said Ms. Noem held “sick, disrespectful” press conferences to drive home that message, including in the congresswoman’s home state of Illinois.
“Where, let me be clear, you are not welcome,” Ms. Ramirez fumed.
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