I asked the vice president if Abrago Garcia has not committed a crime and the U.S. courts have found that he was

illegally taken for the United States. And the government of El Salvador has no evidence that he was

part of MS-13.

Why is El Salvador continuing to hold him in Sikot?

And his answer was that the Trump administration is paying El Salvador,

the government of El Salvador, to keep him at SICAT.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland in El Salvador yesterday after being denied any access to Kilmar-Abrego Garcia.

It comes as the judge overseeing the Alien Enemies Act case says there is probable

cause to hold the Trump administration in contempt of court. We'll bring you expert legal analysis

on both cases. Plus, we'll dig into the new comments from Fed Chair, Jerome Powell, and amid Trump's trade war with China.

And we'll have a look at the latest rally for Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, drawing another huge crowd in a deep red state.

What does it all mean? Good morning and welcome to Morning Joe. It's Thursday,

everyone, April 17th. We're almost through the week. With us, we have NBC News National Affairs.

We do have NBC News, National Affairs Enlist and partner and chief political columnist at Puck.

John Heilman, thank you, sir.

Very much in place.

Ready to go.

Top of the show.

Very impressive.

Claire, a couple of times he just wasn't there.

Well, it's always, it's always impressive when Heilman gets up early.

It's that and barnacle.

...