Senator Tim Kaine’s effort to force a Trump administration report on El Salvador's human rights record failed in a 45–50 vote.

Senate Divided Over Foreign Accountability and Deportation Policy

A resolution introduced by Senator Tim Kaine to compel the Trump administration to produce a human rights report on El Salvador failed to pass the Senate on Thursday, with a final vote of 45–50. The measure, rooted in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, sought to increase oversight of U.S. deportation practices by conditioning foreign aid on transparency.

Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, was joined by co-sponsors Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Chris Van Hollen, and Alex Padilla. They used procedural rules to force a vote on the resolution despite Republican opposition. If passed, the legislation would have required the administration to release details on El Salvador’s human rights conditions and could have triggered a freeze on aid to the Salvadoran government.

“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,” Kaine said in a statement. He emphasized the urgency, citing wrongful deportations and concerns that American citizens could also face transfer to Salvadoran prisons.

On the Senate floor, Kaine delivered remarks that included a pointed message in Spanish to El Salvador’s government, criticizing its alignment with President Trump. “You might think it’s cute right now to grab attention by a bromance with President Donald Trump,” he said, adding that Trump’s presidency would last “three more years.”

Republicans pushed back strongly. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming accused Democrats of defending “illegal immigrant criminals,” specifically citing the threat posed by MS-13 gang members. “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?” he said during floor debate.

Van Hollen, who traveled to El Salvador in an attempt to assist Kilmar Garcia—a deported Maryland resident suspected of gang affiliation—criticized Trump for failing to comply with a court order that could have facilitated Garcia’s return. The administration maintains the court order was misunderstood and reaffirmed its stance during a recent Oval Office meeting between Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

Although Representative Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, voiced support for the resolution in the House, Kaine clarified that congressional bicameral approval was not necessary for the vote to proceed. “We will use this resolution to force accountability,” Castro said.

The vote exposed ongoing divisions in Congress over immigration enforcement, foreign diplomacy, and executive transparency. While Kaine and his allies emphasized the need for public disclosure and legal accountability, opponents framed the resolution as a political attack on immigration policy. The failure of the measure leaves future oversight of deportations and human rights reporting uncertain.