Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said she accepted an invitation to meet with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele next month as the Central American nation plays an increased role in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
Luna, in Tuesday post, shared a copy of the invitation and slammed Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who was the first member of Congress to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison.
“I am honored to accept a personal invitation to meet with President Bukele,” Luna said in a Tuesday post on X. “Unlike Senator Van Hollen, who drank margaritas with a cartel member, I’ll be focused on strengthening the partnership between our nations, advancing shared commitments to safety, freedom, and national pride as well as discussing our commitments to continuing to fight for human rights.
“I look forward to seeing you soon @nayibbukele,” the Florida Republican added.
Luna’s meeting with Bukele is set for May 8 at the president’s residence, according to the invitation the House lawmaker shared.
Her trip to El Salvador follows House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) leading a group of House GOP lawmakers that visited CECOT prison last week.
Four Democratic Reps. — Maxwell Frost (Fla.), Maxine Dexter (Ore.), Yassamin Ansari (Ariz.) and Robert Garcia (Calif.) — also traveled to El Salvador in hopes of meeting with Abrego Garcia, whom the administration has accused of being a member of an MS-13 gang. Abrego Garcia has not been charged with a crime. He did enter the country illegally, according to court documents Attorney General Pam Bondi shared last week.
Democratic lawmakers have argued that the administration has ignored the Supreme Court’s order to facilitate the Maryland man’s return, while Republicans have dug in, seeing it as a winning issue for both President Trump and the party.
“Of course it’s a winning issue. Americans support enforcing the law. Common sense tells you this and polls confirm it. If Democrats want to talk about MS-13 gang members, we’re happy to oblige them,” a senior White House official told The Hill.
