US Senator Meets Man Mistakenly Deported to El Salvador, Calls for Immigration Reform
Washington, D.C. – April 18, 2025 — A U.S. senator met with a man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in a case that has sparked renewed debate over immigration policy and government accountability.
Senator Maria Gonzalez (D-CA) held a press conference Thursday following her meeting with 33-year-old Daniel Ortiz, a U.S. resident who was wrongfully removed from the country last year despite having legal status. Ortiz, who had lived in the U.S. since he was a child, was taken into custody during a routine check-in with immigration authorities and deported within days to El Salvador—a country he had not seen in over two decades.
“This is a heartbreaking example of a system that is too often driven by bureaucracy and not by justice,” Senator Gonzalez said. “Daniel’s case is not just a mistake—it’s a failure of due process and basic human decency.”
Ortiz, who spoke briefly at the event, said he feared for his life during his time in El Salvador, a country plagued by gang violence and instability. “I didn’t know if I would survive. I was sent somewhere I didn’t know, away from my family, my job, my life,” he said. “I’m grateful to be back, but the trauma is still fresh.”
Ortiz’s return to the U.S. was facilitated by legal advocates and pressure from civil rights groups, who have demanded a full investigation into how such an error could occur.
Senator Gonzalez announced she would introduce new legislation aimed at preventing similar incidents, including better oversight of deportation procedures, more access to legal representation for detainees, and clearer communication between immigration enforcement agencies and the courts.
“This isn’t just about Daniel. It’s about the countless others who don’t have the same platform or support to fight back,” she said.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has acknowledged the mistake and launched an internal review, but critics argue the case reflects deeper, systemic issues in how immigration laws are enforced.
Ortiz is currently in the process of restoring his legal status and hopes to reunite permanently with his two young children, who are U.S. citizens.
