Tensions in Washington escalated this week after Representative Mike Collins replaced the official nameplate outside Senator Chris Van Hollen’s office with a satirical label reading “Senator for El Salvador,” mocking Van Hollen’s recent visit to the Central American country.
The gesture came in response to Van Hollen’s high-profile trip to meet Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was deported despite a Supreme Court order blocking the action. The deportation, carried out under the Alien Enemies Act, has sparked legal and political controversy, with the Biden administration defending the move and critics warning it violated due process.
Collins’ prank, intended to highlight what some Republicans view as misaligned priorities, drew sharp criticism from Van Hollen’s allies, who argue the senator was fulfilling his constitutional duty to protect the rights of a constituent.
The dispute underscores the deepening partisan divide over immigration policy and judicial authority, with both sides accusing the other of political theater. As the legal fight over Abrego Garcia’s fate continues, the episode has become a flashpoint in the broader national debate on executive power, accountability, and the limits of federal enforcement.