Democratic Strategist Warns Party Against Aligning Itself With Abrego Garcia: ‘Let’s Not Make Him a Martyr’

Veteran Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee warned his party Friday against focusing too narrowly on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man whose deportation and detention have sparked international controversy.

Appearing on CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt, Elleithee argued that Democrats should shift their message away from Abrego Garcia specifically and toward broader concerns about civil liberties under the Trump administration.

Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in March despite a prior statement from the Trump administration that his removal was a mistake.

He has since been held in a mega-prison, with the White House ignoring a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return.

During a press conference Friday afternoon, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) recounted his Thursday visit to El Salvador and a meeting he had with Abrego Garcia.

The senator said during the lengthy briefing that he would not let the matter go until the man is released.

But Elleithee pushed back on that approach, warning Democrats against lionizing Abrego Garcia given details of his background. The White House has accused Abrego Garcia of being affiliated with MS-13, abusing his wife, and being suspected of human trafficking in 2022 by a Tennessee state trooper.

Elleithee did not comment directly on those allegations but emphasized caution to members of his party.

“Let’s not make him a martyr,” Elleithee said. “Let’s make this about the fact that Donald Trump and his administration are chipping away at our rights on a daily basis.” Elleithee also said:

Look, I think everyone in the White House are giving each other high-fives, and everyone who supports the guy in El Salvador are giving each other high-fives, right? Both sides have kind of gone to their corners and are saying this is the fight we want to have. Whereas I don’t necessarily know it’s the conversation that would actually resonate with the rest of the country.

Elleithee concluded, “Taking away his constitutional rights takes away all of our constitutional rights. That is the place to take this.”

Watch above via CNN.