Democratic senators sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador, Troy Edgar, after a tense Senate hearing in which the nominee struggled to answer questions about constitutional rights and immigration enforcement policies.
Edgar, who previously served as deputy secretary at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, March 5, as lawmakers evaluated his nomination.
Democrats during the hearing repeatedly pressed Edgar on constitutional protections and the Trump administration’s immigration actions while he served at DHS.
Constitution questions dominate hearing
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland led some of the most pointed questioning in a statement on X following the hearing, arguing that an American ambassador should demonstrate a basic understanding of constitutional rights.
“Our Ambassadors should have a basic understanding of the Constitution. But apparently, that’s too much to ask of this Admin. Trump’s pick to be Ambassador to El Salvador (who was also Noem’s deputy at DHS) had trouble answering basic questions about our Constitution.”
During the exchange, Van Hollen had asked Edgar whether he agreed that First Amendment protections extend to lawful permanent residents living in the United States.
Trump’s nominee replied that he believed free speech protections applied but began qualifying his answer when the senator pressed him further.
“I think it does,” he said when asked if the First Amendment protects lawful permanent residents.
Van Hollen pushed back as Edgar attempted to distinguish between citizens and non-citizens when discussing constitutional protections.
“This is why I asked you if an American ambassador should have an understanding of the Constitution,” Van Hollen responded. “It is clear law, both First Amendment and due process rights extend to people residing in the United States.”
The Maryland senator also questioned the former DHS deputy secretary about a Supreme Court ruling involving Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, asking whether the latter agreed with the court’s unanimous decision that the deportation was unlawful.
Edgar, however, declined to directly comment on the ruling during the hearing.
Questions over immigration enforcement actions
Democrats also pressed the nominee about his role in controversial immigration enforcement actions during his time at DHS.
Van Hollen criticized what he described as violent incidents involving federal immigration agents, including the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Prettii by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
The senator also challenged Edgar over statements by former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem that described the two individuals as domestic terrorists.
According to Van Hollen, Troy declined to contradict those remarks.
“Unfortunately, you’ve been part of an administration that’s taking away Americans’ rights to freedom here at home, due process rights as well as First Amendment rights.”
Human rights concerns over El Salvador deportations
Another major point of contention involved the deportation of more than 200 Venezuelan migrants without criminal convictions to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, a maximum-security prison built under President Nayib Bukele’s government.
Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said the deportations raised significant human-rights concerns.
“It sends a message to the rest of the world what we stand for when we forcibly deport hundreds of people, many with no criminal record, to a country that has a demonstrated human rights record that is abysmal,” Coons said.
Human rights organizations have documented allegations of abuse, including torture, mass arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and violations of due process within the prison system.
Also Read: Markwayne Mullin: Republican Trump Chose to Replace Ally Behind Millions of Deportations
Edgar told lawmakers he did not share those concerns regarding the deportations carried out under the administration.
Republicans defend nominee and Bukele policies
Republican senators on the committee defended Trump’s nominee and pointed to El Salvador’s dramatic drop in gang violence under Bukele’s leadership.
Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said the country’s crackdown on organized crime had improved regional security and strengthened cooperation with the United States.
“I think about President Bukele’s leadership that’s allowed El Salvador to dramatically reduce violent crime in that country,” Hagerty said, referencing the government’s maximum-security detention facility for high-risk offenders.
Hagerty added that Edgar would be “an excellent ambassador” and highlighted coordination between the U.S. and El Salvador in returning Salvadoran nationals involved in criminal activity.
The heated hearing took place the same day President Trump announced a major leadership change at DHS.
Trump said he would remove Secretary Kristi Noem from the role and nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to replace her, pending Senate confirmation.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
