Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) sparred with CNN host Pamela Brown over the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the deportation of a Maryland man who was sent to the CECOT maximum security prison in El Salvador.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was removed from the United States last month despite his legal residency in Maryland for over a decade. An immigration court granted him approval to stay in the country under asylum after he fled his native country, El Salvador, due to threats of violence and persecution.
Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling issued by U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis urging the Trump administration to “facilitate” his return.
During their Wednesday interaction, Brown and McCormick got into a heated discussion over the various orders.
“The Supreme Court did weigh in and say that it agreed with the district judge saying that the U.S. administration,” Brown said before the Georgia lawmaker interjected.
“No, it did not. It did not. That’s false reporting. You know that’s false!” McCormick said.
“Let me finish my sentence, congressman! I understand you’re trying to create a moment right now to try to get pickup, and that’s self-serving. That’s not serving our viewers,” Brown shot back.
Republicans have argued that Abrego Garcia is an illegal immigrant who committed crimes as an MS-13 gang member, which he and his wife deny. The CNN journalist accused the GOP lawmaker of echoing those claims and trying to use the interview to gain political attention.
“I think we know who is trying to commit the moment here. We know that,” McCormick said.
Brown pushed back on his statement while citing public information from legal filings.
“No, what I am laying out here is facts. The Supreme Court, the four-page opinion, agreed with the lower court judge that it should, the administration should, quote-unquote, ‘facilitate his return’. Now in terms of effectuate, it left it to the lower courts to clarify —,” the CNN anchor said prior to being cut off.
“That’s not facts, by the way. Just so you know, that’s not facts,” McCormick said.
Brown encouraged readers to check out the court documents online.
“Everyone can read it, it’s online. And it said that the president does have foreign affairs protections, and that the district court judge should take that into account when providing that clarification,” she said.
“That’s exactly what was said. It was not a forceful opinion. It certainly had ambiguity, but that’s what the Supreme Court said,” Brown added.
Abrego Garcia’s case has garnered international attention and inquiries regarding the president’s power to deport lawful residents.
The Department of Justice has admitted Abrego Garcia was removed in an “administrative error” but also argued they do not have the capability to undo his removal as he remains in the custody of the El Salvadoran government. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also said the Maryland man “will not return to our country.”
McCormick agreed with the Trump administration but noted that Abrego Garcia’s deportation to El Salvador did raise questions.
“He was going to be deported. Whether he should have gone to El Salvador or not is really one question. It also begs the question, when anybody says that they request asylum because their life is threatened and they have this due process, the question is, how are you going to deport them to that country of origin if he belongs to a, let’s say it’s MS-13 or whatever, and there’s a rival gang that doesn’t like him?” McCormick asked.
“Are we going to have this hold up our deportation of criminal elements here in the United States?” he continued.
Democratic lawmakers have argued Abrego Garcia’s removal was unconstitutional and are fighting to have him returned. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) flew to El Salvador on Wednesday to advocate on the Maryland man’s behalf.
