House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has rejected a request from Democratic lawmakers to visit El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a maximum-security prison where hundreds of deportees from the US are being held. The prison has gained attention for its harsh conditions and allegations of human rights abuses.
In a letter, Comer ridiculed the request from Reps. Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL), citing their “active hostility” to the committee’s investigations into former President Joe Biden’s border policies. Comer stated that it was “absurd” for the Democrats to seek travel at committee expense to meet with “foreign gang members.”
The Democrats had requested to visit CECOT to check on several high-profile detainees, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal US resident who was deported to El Salvador without due process. Abrego Garcia’s lawyers and family members have denied allegations of any connection to gang activity, claiming he was targeted based on unreliable suspicions.
Comer’s rejection comes amid controversy over the Trump administration’s deportation policies, which have been criticized for targeting individuals without due process. The decision has sparked debate over the treatment of deportees and the role of congressional oversight.
The lawmakers had sought to visit CECOT to investigate the conditions and treatment of detainees, but Comer’s rejection has blocked their efforts. While House Democrats can still travel to El Salvador on their own, a congressional delegation would have provided them with more resources and access to information.
The rejection is the latest development in the ongoing debate over immigration and border security, with Republicans and Democrats continuing to clash over issues related to deportation, due process, and human rights.
