During Thursday’s Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) questioned DHS Secretary. Kristi Noem about the Supreme Court decision related to the return of Kimar Abrego Garcia.
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00:00Have you read the, I assume you have read the Supreme Court decision in the case of Kilmar Abrego-Garcia?
00:07Yes.
00:07That court decision requires the administration to facilitate Kilmar Abrego-Garcia's release from El Salvador.
00:18Can you describe the steps that you have taken to facilitate this release?
00:23And specifically, can you answer as to whether you have reached out to your counterpart in El Salvador to facilitate Mr. Abrego-Garcia's release?
00:32Abrego-Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador and should never have been in this country and will not be coming back to this country.
00:40There is no scenario where Abrego-Garcia will be in the United States again.
00:45If he were to come back, we would immediately deport him again because he is a terrorist, he's a human smuggler, and he is a wife beater.
00:52Does, does the, you've read the Supreme Court decision, does the Supreme Court decision not require you to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego-Garcia?
01:00The Trump administration is complying with all court orders and judges' orders.
01:04Does, does the, does the Supreme Court order require you to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego-Garcia?
01:10Abrego-Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador.
01:12It is up to the president of the El Salvador to make the decision.
01:15You're a defendant in the case.
01:16Coming back, it's been a big topic of conversation between all of us, between the country.
01:21When the president visited the United States of America, it was discussed and talked about there.
01:26The president has been very clear on this issue as the secretary of state and I have as well.
01:32Abrego-Garcia is not a citizen of this country and is a dangerous individual who does not belong here.
01:38I will, I will, I will, I will not ask another question, Madam Chair, but the discussion, but the discussion ends when the Supreme Court rules 9-0 that you have to facilitate his release.
01:48And the fact that you can't even acknowledge the wording of the order, which commands you to facilitate his release, and you advertise to this committee that you are going to willfully ignore the ruling.
02:01And that is incredibly chilling for the balance of powers in a democracy that relies on the executive branch to honor decisions made by the highest court of the land.