WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the days since Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was kidnapped from his Maryland home and illegally deported by the Trump-Vance Administration to a prison in El Salvador— known for its violent human rights abuses— the Young Democrats of America are calling on Democratic Leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer to stand up to the White House:

“While Donald Trump and the GOP weaponize the federal government against communities of vulnerable, innocent, law-abiding people for political gain, young people everywhere are begging Democratic leadership in Congress to do something––anything––to stand up to the Trump White House and protect the rule of law,” said Quentin Wathum-Ocama, President of the Young Democrats of America. “The Trump Administration is violating the Constitution in more ways than we can count: deporting migrants without due process, erroneously detaining Americans, blocking detained Americans’ access to lawyers and their families, paying foreign governments to hold deported migrants in brutal prisons without access to lawyers, and defying a unanimous order by the Supreme Court––the list goes on.

“Now more than ever, our party—our country—needs leadership that will stand up against tyranny. It is shameful that those we trust to lead our party remain so silent in the face of an unprecedented national crisis. So far, only a small number of national Democrats have had the courage to act— like Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, who traveled to El Salvador in an effort to find Mr. Garcia and confirm whether he is even alive. We are grateful to Senator Van Hollen, but we need more action. To any federally elected Democrat reading: we urge you to find your courage now, in the face of fear.

“Trump and his Administration could care less about the harm they’re causing other human beings to suffer through, the rule of law, or the blood on their hands. It’s time for Jeffries, Schumer, and every single elected Democrat to shut this shit down and block everything they can, whenever they can.

“Democrats may not have a lot of political power right now, but we’re not powerless. It’s time for our Democratic Congressional leaders to stop acting like we are, or it’s time for them to make way for Democrats who are willing to oppose the fascism we see growing every day in our federal government. The fate of American democracy depends on it.”

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