Tim Kaine’s attempt to force Salvadoran report on human rights falls flat

A vote to force the Trump administration to produce a report on El Salvador’s human rights practices, spearheaded by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., failed by a roll call vote of 45-50 on Thursday.

Kaine, along with co-sponsors Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Alex Padilla of California, all Democrats, cited powers granted by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to put forward a privileged resolution – which required a vote regardless of GOP opposition – to compel the administration to provide such details.

Speaking to reporters when he announced the vote, Kaine said that if passed, it would freeze foreign assistance to the Salvadoran government if the Trump administration were to balk.

“I also send a message to the government of El Salvador,” Kaine said during his remarks, breaking into Spanish midway.

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“You might think it’s cute right now to grab attention by a bromance with President Donald Trump. He’s going to be a president for poco más (a short time) – tres años más (three more years).”

Continuing in Spanish, Kaine said the two countries will always have relations, before transitioning back to English to say that the U.S. will not soon forget “you violating the human rights of American citizens – you’re wrong.”

On the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Senate Democrats are “voting once again to defend illegal immigrant criminals. They seem to like to do that. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”

“They’re going to come to this floor today, and they’re going to line up to express their blind loyalty and belligerent support for illegal immigrant criminals,” said Barrasso, who, as majority whip, is the second-most-senior Republican.

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“No Democrats are going to be able to answer the question – How does allowing MS-13 gang members to roam free in our communities make America safer?”

Kaine’s office did provide a copy of the resolution. along with a statement from the Virginia Democrat:

“If President Trump is going to cut secret deals to send people to foreign prisons without due process, every Senator—and the public—needs to understand the details about those deportations, including the human rights record of the nation putting American residents behind bars,” Kaine said.

“This information is critical at a time when the Trump Administration has admitted to wrongfully deporting people to El Salvador, and after Trump has said he’s also looking for ways to deport American citizens to the same terrible prisons. Today, we will force a vote on our legislation to put all Senators on record on requiring some accountability from this lawless Administration.”

Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring deported suspected gang member Kilmar Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return.

“We will use this resolution to force accountability,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a House supporter of the resolution, although Kaine said it does not require their blessing.

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Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return.

Both Trump and Bukele appeared to agree in an Oval Office meeting last month that returning Garcia would be “preposterous” and that the court order did not quite say what critics said it did.