U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost is in El Salvador with three other Democratic lawmakers to pressure President Donald Trump’s administration to effectuate the return of a Maryland man with protected legal status who was deported last month.

He called Trump’s deportation of the man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, without due process part of a “government-funded kidnapping program” effectuated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia is Trump’s latest victim,” Frost said in a statement. 

“As Members of Congress it is our responsibility to hold the President and Administration accountable for defying the Constitution of the United States. Donald Trump and ICE are not above the law. Today it’s Kilmar, but tomorrow it could be anyone else. We cannot and will not let Donald Trump get away with this.”

Joining Frost in the trip — which is not being financed by taxpayer dollars, according to a press note from the Orlando Congressman’s Office — are U.S. Reps. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Maxine Dexter of Oregon and Robert Garcia of California.

The trip comes after U.S. Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican and the Chair of the House Oversight Committee, refused Frost and Garcia’s request for an official Congressional Delegation to the Central American nation.

It also follows a unanimous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court backing a lower court’s order to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in an El Salvadoran prison and treat his case “as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.”

The ruling came with a proviso, however, that the District of Maryland court’s order to the Trump administration “may exceed” its authority and that the court “should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs.”

Trump administration officials have pushed back against bringing Abrego Garcia back, arguing it is up to El Salvador. The President of El Salvador said he lacked the power to return Abrego Garcia, saying it would be “preposterous” to “smuggle a terrorist into the United States.”

Abrego Garcia, 29, lived in the U.S. for roughly 14 years, during which he worked construction, got married and was raising three children with disabilities, according to court records.

Trump administration officials said he was deported based on a 2019 accusation from Maryland police he was an MS-13 gang member. Abrego Garcia denied the allegation and was never charged with a crime, his attorneys said.

The Trump administration has admitted Abrego Garcia’s detention was an “error,” but has so far refused to abide by the federal Judge and Supreme Court’s orders to return him. 

Frost’s Office said he and his congressional colleagues will also advocate for other detainees who were deported from the U.S. without due process.

“What happened to Kilmar Abrego Garcia is not just one family’s nightmare — it is a constitutional crisis that should outrage every single one of us,” Dexter said in a statement.

“We will not rest while due process is discarded, and our constitutional rights are ignored. We will be loud in demanding that the Trump Administration abide by the Supreme Court’s decision and uphold the rule of law. Because if this can happen to Mr. Abrego Garcia, it can happen to anyone.”

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Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. Republished with permission.

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Political leaders are mourning the death of Pope Francis, the first leader of the Catholic Church who hailed from the Western Hemisphere.

Florida figures joined the world in remembering the Vatican head of state following his passing.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Miami Republican, posted: “On Easter Monday, Jeanette and I are saddened to the news of Pope Francis’ passing. We unite in prayer with Catholics worldwide for the repose of the pontiff’s soul and for this period of transition for the Catholic Church. May He rest in peace.”

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, posted: “Pope Francis touched countless lives across every corner of the world. May he rest in peace.”

U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat, posted: “Pope Francis embodied the true meaning of faith and what it means to be a devoted servant of Jesus Christ. He will always be remembered for his deep compassion and the kindness he extended to the most vulnerable — both of which are qualities that we should all embrace. My thoughts are with the countless people around the world whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace.”

U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, a Panama City Republican, posted: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Pope Francis. I join my fellow Catholics in mourning his loss. May he rest in peace.”

U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami-Dade Republican, posted: “Lourdes and I are heartbroken with the passing of his sanctity Pope Francis. We were beyond blessed to have met Pope Francis personally in the Vatican on my wife Lourdes’ birthday. We join all of our fellow Catholic community in mourning his loss.”

U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican, posted: “Today, we mourn the loss of Pope Francis. May we be grateful for his life of humble service focused on the most needy of souls. Eternal rest grant unto him, oh Lord. I pray for the Cardinals who will soon elect the next Vicar of Christ and leader of the Holy Catholic Church.”

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, posted: “Our dear Pope Francis has joined the angels today. He led with humility, passion and faith, expanded the church by inspiring others, and was a relentless advocate for all God’s children. We will miss him.”

U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat, posted: “My heart goes out to the Catholic community and all who were inspired by Pope Francis as we mourn his passing. He was a humble champion for the poor, an advocate for the marginalized, and brought tremendous hope and compassion to millions worldwide. May he rest in peace and may the Lord place his guiding hand over the Vatican during this time.”

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Florida hospitals have dramatically increased the number of available and filled residency positions in recent years, according to a new report from the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida.

The report, Florida Hospital GME Match Rates & Quality, provides a data-based assessment of the quality of Florida’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs. Among the findings: More medical school graduates are choosing to do their residency at Safety Net Hospitals over any other type of Florida hospital.

“Hospitals in Florida have made enormous strides in increasing the number of medical residents each year. Our members are the top hospitals in the state and the country, so it is no surprise that more physicians-in-training are choosing to do their residency programs with us over any other place,” said SNHAF CEO Justin Senior.

“What is most exciting is not only that we get to keep top talent in Florida, but also that the more we train residents here, the more we will be able to head off Florida’s projected shortfall in physicians predicted for 2035. Florida is among the Top 4 states in the nation for retaining physicians who do their residency here. That is worth bragging about.”

The report reveals that Safety Net Hospital Alliance members’ Match Rate — a measurement of hospitals’ success in filling their empty residency slots — is significantly higher than Florida’s overall Match Rate and higher than the national Match Rate. National research has shown that high Match Rates correlate with high quality in a hospital program.

Data for 2020-2024 shows Safety Net Hospital Alliance members matched with 6,632 new residents, filling 93.8% of their resident slots, putting Alliance members more than six points above the statewide Match Rate of 87.18%.

Looking only at 2024 data, Alliance members had a 91.50% Match Rate, besting the state rate of 86.48% and national rate of 91.24%.

Six of the eight Florida hospitals producing over 350 Matches, and eight of the 13 hospitals producing over 200 Matches are Safety Net Alliance members. The report also found that four of the 10 hospitals achieving a 100% Match Rate every year while operating more than one GME program are are Safety Net Alliance members that began providing GME in the last 10 years. Further, 12 of the 13 hospitals producing over 200 Matches were not-for-profit or public hospitals.

“In the GME Match process, medical school graduates select the hospital GME programs where they hope to train; at the same time hospitals are identifying the medical school graduates they would like to accept into their GME programs. We know that the quality level of a hospital’s GME program is the main thing medical school graduates consider when preparing the list of the hospitals where they hope train. It’s something to celebrate that our member hospitals’ GME programs are highly sought-after and produce the highest Match Rates year after year,” SNHAF President & COO Lindy Kennedy said.

Senior added, “Florida policy makers have proven that investing in GME increases the number of doctors providing care to Floridians. When this investment began in 2014, the number of GME residency slots had consistently hovered at 3,000 FTEs each year. Over the last 10 years that number has more than doubled as there are now over 7,150 new doctor training slots in Florida.”

Safety Net Hospital Alliance members have contributed more than $1 billion to state coffers to help pay for GME programs. Thus far, Safety Net Hospital Alliance members have voluntarily paid for the creation of 2,873 new doctor training slots at hospitals across the state.

Last spring, the Safety Net Hospital Alliance announced the creation of 663 new GME physician training slots via the GME Startup Bonus Program, a program that was founded in 2015 and primarily funded by two Safety Net Hospital Alliance members — UF Health Shands and Jackson Health System. The program has added GME slots at Safety Net members and non-members alike.

In addition to UF Health and Jackson Health, Safety Net Hospital Alliance members include Ascension Florida, Broward Health, Halifax Health, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Lee Health, Memorial Healthcare System, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Orlando Health, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and Tampa General Hospital.

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