Rep. Glenn Ivey returns frustrated after failed attempt to visit Kilmar Abrego-García in El Salvador

Congressman Ivey returns from El Salvador

Maryland Congressman Glenn Ivey has returned to the U.S. following a trip to El Salvador, where he attempted to conducted a welfare check on Kilmar Abrego-García.

DULLES, Va. - Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey has returned to the U.S. after an unsuccessful attempt to conduct a welfare check on Kilmar Abrego-García, a 29-year-old detained in El Salvador for nearly two months.

Failed visit to detainee

What we know:

Abrego-García’s mistaken deportation has become a focal point in debates over former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and his ongoing legal battles with U.S. courts.

Ivey landed around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, and FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick spoke with him upon arrival at Dulles Airport.

Expressing frustration over the delegation’s treatment, Ivey said both the U.S. and Salvadoran governments were notified in advance, yet the visit was blocked due to permit issues.

"I mean it's, you know, ridiculous that an international delegation would get that kind of treatment, especially when we're making this kind of a request," he said.

READ MORE: DOJ says Kilmar Abrego Garcia will "never walk freely in the US"

Congress demands transparency

Ivey also pointed to over 250 Venezuelans jailed in El Salvador after deportation from the U.S., noting that around 50 have no criminal records and were sent to a country where they have no pending offenses. "That's un-American. That's not what we should be doing."

Ivey criticized the Trump administration for deporting individuals to harsh prisons worldwide, and mentioned a recent group sent to South Sudan. "The deportations, I get the point, you know, we want to make sure that people who aren't supposed to be here are sent back to where they should go," he said. "But that's a little bit different than sending them to some of the toughest jails in the Western Hemisphere. For indefinite detention with no criminal charges pending."

Ivey emphasized that Congress has not received a copy of the contract outlining the terms, costs, and conditions of detaining individuals in overseas jails. He also stressed the need for transparency to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately.

"It was a clear run around and not a way that a foreign government should be treating the Congress of the United States," he said.

READ MORE: Maryland Sen. Van Hollen on Kilmar Abrego Garcia case: 'It’s about his rights'