Trump admin live updates: Dems react to Hegseth discussing Yemen strike in 2nd chat

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, standing in front of a backdrop of palm trees, posted a video to social media with an update on his trip to El Salvador on Wednesday.

The Democratic lawmaker hopes to get answers about the wrongful deportation of a Maryland migrant, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, by the Trump administration.

Van Hollen said he's had "back-to-back meetings" in the country -- with members of the American Embassy and human rights groups. He also mentioned again his meeting with the vice president of El Salvador.

"And the entire purpose has been to bring Abrego Garcia home," the senator said.

Van Hollen also said that he called the government of El Salvador to provide evidence that Abrego Garcia was involved in MS-13 -- they could not.

"They said they had no evidence," he claimed.

"So this is not about MS-13. I know President Trump wants to make this about gang violence. I have been fighting MS-13, probably longer than Donald Trump even knew about MS- 13. I care about every victim of crime. That's why we have a court system to hold people accountable when they commit crimes, to make sure they get the punishment they deserve," Van Hollen said.

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

The Department of Justice is appealing the decision from a federal judge who found probable cause that the Trump administration acted in contempt of court when officials last month defied his order to turn around two planes carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

The administration's "willful disobedience of judicial orders" without consequences would make "a solemn mockery" of "the Constitution itself," U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote Wednesday.

In a separate filing Wednesday, lawyers with the ACLU representing the noncitizens removed to El Salvador are urging Boasberg to keep the case in D.C. following the Supreme Court’s ruling that effectively threw out the case.

They asked Boasberg to issue a nationwide order that requires the Trump administration to provide a 30-day notice before attempting to remove anyone else under the Alien Enemies Act. They argued the relief is urgent because some noncitizens might be deported with less than a day’s notice, “making it virtually impossible” to practice their due rights.

-ABC News' Katherin Faulders, Alexander Mallin and Peter Charalambous

President Donald Trump gave brief remarks at the White House Easter prayer service and dinner on Wednesday evening ahead of Easter on Sunday.

"Being here with you in the middle of Holy Week as we remember two of the most monumental events in all of history, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Trump said.

During his remarks, Trump acknowledged Patty Morin -- the mother of a Maryland woman who was killed while exercising on a popular hiking trail northeast of Baltimore -- telling her that she has his support and that her daughter, Rachel, was looking down on her.

While discussing the Easter holiday, Trump also touted the success his administration has had over the past three months.

"Millions of Americans have been moved by Christ's example to heal the sick, defend their families, lift up their communities and make our country stronger, better and greater than ever before with God's grace over these past three months," Trump said. "And we have had a great three months, they say, maybe the best three months ever."

Trump told those at the dinner that he hopes his election goes down as one of the most important days in our country's history.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Amid the Trump administration's multibillion-dollar freeze on funding to Harvard University, Education Sec. Linda McMahon joined ABC News Live on Wednesday to say the decision was made as a "civil rights protection."

"Let's make sure that we're not mischaracterizing what's going on at Harvard in terms of putting a thumb against free speech. That is not it at all. We are talking about civil rights protection," McMahon said of the administration's decision. "We are talking about antisemitism that has been on the Harvard campus for years."

The Trump administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced on Monday it would withhold $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value to the institution.

Ahead of the funding freeze, Harvard President Alan Garber had said the university is committed to fighting antisemitism and to making changes to create a welcoming environment.

Among Trump's demands that the university rejected were ending its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, adopting merit-based admissions and cooperate with immigration authorities.

McMahon said the administration is open to "listening and negotiating" with Harvard about the president's demands, but added, "In the meantime, that $2.2 billion will stay frozen."

-ABC News' Edna Rutland