CODEL to El Salvador.
FROM: Oregon’s Bay Area Facebook Post.
CALL TO ACTION!
A CODEL short for Congressional Delegation is an official trip by members of Congress, often to foreign countries, for oversight, investigation, or diplomacy. These trips require approval by congressional leadership, especially from committee chairs, and they provide security, logistical support, and formal recognition by the U.S. government.
Right now, Representatives Robert Garcia and Maxwell Frost, both members of the House Oversight Committee, are seeking approval to lead a CODEL to El Salvador. Their mission: to investigate the illegal deportation and ongoing detention of Kilmar Abrego García, a legal U.S. resident who was sent to a foreign mega-prison in direct violation of a federal court order. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the government must facilitate García’s return. Instead, Trump administration officials have continued to defy that order, and now appear to be stonewalling all efforts to retrieve him.
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), as Chair of the House Oversight Committee, holds the power to approve or block the trip. His decision will determine whether Congress can investigate this unfolding human rights crisis, or whether it will allow executive defiance and the disappearance of a legal resident to go unchecked.
Contact Rep. James Comer:
DC Office: (202) 225-3115
Online Contact Form: comer.house.gov/contact
Social (Twitter/X): @RepJamesComer
Tell Rep. Comer: Approve the CODEL. Let Congress investigate. The rule of law is on the line.
Here is a sample email – Use the zipcode 42717 or 42431 to submit your comments.
Dear Congressman Comer,
I am writing to urge you, as Chair of the House Oversight Committee, to immediately approve the proposed congressional delegation (CODEL) to El Salvador to investigate the unlawful deportation and continued detention of Kilmar Abrego García.
Mr. García, a legal resident of the United States and Maryland, was deported in violation of a federal court order, and his detention has now extended over a month despite a unanimous 9–0 Supreme Court ruling affirming the government’s obligation to facilitate his return.
This case is no longer about immigration policy. It is about the Constitution, the rule of law, and the authority of the judiciary. The Trump administration has repeatedly defied court orders, distorted the Supreme Court’s ruling, and failed to provide daily updates as required by Judge Paula Xinis.
Congress has a constitutional duty to provide oversight, especially when the executive branch defies both federal courts and the Supreme Court. Approving this CODEL is not a partisan issue it is a moral, legal, and democratic imperative.
If House leadership refuses to act in this moment, it risks sending a chilling message: that the executive can unilaterally violate court orders, disappear legal residents to foreign prisons, and face no consequence.
I urge you to do the right thing:Approve the CODEL to El Salvador. Let Congress do its job.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address or Zip Code]
[Optional: Phone number or email]
[Your Name]
[Your Address or Zip Code]
[Optional: Phone number or email]