Warner visits political prisoner in Farmville: ‘America is a better country than this’

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., visited political prisoner Kilmar Abrego Garcia at an ICE detention facility in Farmville on Thursday.

The message that Warner was able to deliver back from Abrego Garcia: “he wants to keep fighting for justice.”

“I can’t weigh in on some of the allegations from the Trump administration, but I know this. They wrongfully moved him to El Salvador, and now, in an effort to retaliate if he doesn’t plead guilty, they’re threatening to send him to Uganda, where he has no ties at all. That’s not the way the system works,” Warner said.

Joke’s on you, senator, because that’s the way the system has been working since on or around Jan. 20, and you and Tim Kaine, the other Democrat representing Virginia in the U.S. Senate, rushed to confirm the Trump nominees who have been moving fast and breaking American democracy since.

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Specific to Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran national was living legally under protected status in Maryland with his family until he was ripped out of a car and put on a plane for a gulag in March, before low-level officials in the Trump administration admitted that it had made an error in sending Abrego Garcia to an El Salvador prison, then, inexplicably, defied multiple court orders mandating his return.

Months of pledges from fake tough guys in the administration to the effect that Abrego Garcia would never step foot on American soil ended with a whimper – he was returned in June.

But the Trumpers, not conceding the point, that it had f***ed up, decided to pursue spurious allegations that Abrego Garcia was the ringleader in a conspiracy to unlawfully transport illegal aliens for financial gain and unlawful transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain.

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ICYMI

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia returned to U.S., but Trump administration not giving in
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A federal judge ordered Abrego Garcia’s release last week, and he was able to spend a few days with his family, but now the administration is threatening him with deportation to, of all places, Uganda.

There’s a special place in hell for all involved in this kangaroo court proceeding.

Warner, in remarks posted online on Thursday, demanded that no action be taken on the Abrego Garcia case until his due-process claims are resolved.

The senator also commented on what else he saw the Farmville ICE facility, and it didn’t sound good.

“I also saw a number of the other detainees from a variety of countries, some who didn’t know even why they were there,” said Warner, who added that he spoke with representatives of the owners of the 736-bed facility, which was purchased in June for $67 million by the Brentwood, Tenn.,-based CoreCivic, and “got a commitment” that they’ll work on “improving both some of the food and some of the healthcare.”

“With an ICE budget now bigger than the FBI, cost should not be a reason,” Warner said.

The senator’s final words on the brief video:

“You know, America is a better country than this. We all need to continue to stand up and speak out.”