Senate Democrats Seek Sanctions on El Salvador Leaders
Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., introduced a bill June 12 that would impose property-blocking sanctions on Salvadoran officials for alleged human rights abuses, including imprisoning U.S. residents deported by the Trump administration without due process.
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El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and the country’s vice president and ministers of foreign relations, defense, and justice and public security would be among those sanctioned under the El Salvador Accountability Act, which was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The legislation would require reports on several topics, including El Salvador officials’ use of cryptocurrency for sanction evasion and corruption.
Van Hollen was a leading critic of the administration’s deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador in March. Abrego Garcia was later returned to the U.S. to face human-trafficking charges. The administration has defended its work with El Salvador, saying it's removing dangerous foreigners from the U.S.