Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen told reporters on Wednesday that his request to meet with his former constituent who was reported to have been mistakenly deported to El Salvador was denied by the country's government.

The Trump administration disputes the claim that he was mistakenly deported. 

Van Hollen traveled to the Central American country earlier in the day in hopes of meeting with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who the Justice Department said was mistakenly deported over allegations that he was tied to the violent gang, MS-13. 

A judge previously protected Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran citizen, from deportation because of concerns for his safety.

Van Hollen told reporters that he spoke with El Salvador Vice President Félix Ulloa about visiting Abrego Garcia, but was denied a meeting. He also claimed Ulloa told him that Abrego Garcia is being held in a prison because the Trump administration is allegedly paying the country's government to do so, even though he has not been formally charged with a crime. 

“I’m asking President [Nayib] Bukele under his authority as president of El Salvador to do the right thing and allow Mr. Abrego Garcia to walk out of prison," the senator said. "A man who’s charged with no crime, convicted of no crime and who was illegally abducted from the United States ... We have an unjust situation here." 

The senator also said that subsequent requests to meet or speak with Abrego Garcia were rejected, including whether he could meet the man next week or speak to him on the phone.

The trip comes shortly after Bukele met with President Donald Trump at the White House, where he said he won't release Abrego Garcia back to the United States.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.