If a person didn’t know any better, he or she might be under the impression that Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) flew to El Salvador earlier this month to demand the release of an imprisoned political dissident fighting for democracy. No, he was just checking in on alleged MS-13 gang member and former illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

This, as a political matter, is puzzling.

There’s a stark difference between standing up for the domestic rule of law and schmoozing with a criminal over salted margarita glasses in a foreign country. Yet, to my count, five Democratic House members have taken the trip to Central America to advocate Abrego Garcia. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) also said he intends to go soon.

It won’t take much effort for a voter to contrast Van Hollen’s trip with his lack of concern for Marylander Rachel Morin, who was raped and killed by an illegal immigrant from El Salvador in 2023. Who knows? Voters might recall that neither Van Hollen nor virtually any Democrat showed much concern for the American hostages kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza. Or even the ones in nearby Venezuela.

You may argue that bringing up unrelated cases is a red herring, but a politician’s priorities tell us plenty. And modern Democrats’ priorities are incomprehensible.

Now, I’m sympathetic to the argument that the Trump administration needs to be more judicious in following court orders regarding the Alien Enemies Act. Honestly, I don’t even comprehend how such a law can be constitutional. The administration admitted that Abrego Garcia’s incarceration in El Salvador was an “administrative error.” A judge’s order from 2019 barred him from being sent to El Salvador. Shipping human beings, in the country illegally or not, to Third World megaprisons shouldn’t be taken lightly.

The White House refuses to procure the release of Abrego Garcia, as was ordered by the court. The excuses for not doing so are progressively silly. “Are you proposing that we invade El Salvador to retrieve a gang member with no legal right to be in our country?” Vice President JD Vance wrote in response to an X user. Setting aside the obvious straw man, the notion that President Donald Trump is unable to convince the unctuous Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to release a prisoner is implausible. 

The reason these frivolous arguments might land with voters is that Democrats have transformed Abrego Garcia into a heroic figure and victim. Every time a new court document emerges with evidence that Abrego Garcia was likely in a gang, Democrats look increasingly out of touch for making him the face of their cause rather than arguing for the neutral dispensation of law.

Indeed, that’s the case Democrats should be rigorously making. Though, admittedly, it’s going to be a heavy lift, considering........

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