Minnesota State Wire

Jason Lewis, a former Representative from Minnesota, has raised concerns about media portrayals of a trafficker's deportation, suggesting they reflect partisan bias and questioning the transparency of their reporting. Lewis made this statement on X.

"Headlines still say trafficker was ‘wrongly deported married man' who was finally returned for trial from El Salvador," said Lewis. "Lord, if the media insist on contributing to Democrats why aren't they reporting these ‘in-kind' donations to the FEC?"

In March 2025, U.S. authorities mistakenly deported Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man with pending immigration protection, to El Salvador. He was detained in a high-security prison there despite not facing charges. According to The Guardian, Ábrego García was later returned to the U.S. following a Supreme Court order to face federal human smuggling charges. This case received extensive media coverage and sparked renewed debates on deportation policy, due process, and immigration enforcement.

A Bloomberg News investigation revealed that approximately 90% of individuals deported to El Salvador under the U.S. expedited removal program in early 2025 had no serious criminal records. Most were cited for traffic or minor immigration violations. While some deportees like Ábrego García were later charged with criminal offenses, the data challenges claims that deportations primarily target dangerous individuals.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) mandates that in-kind political contributions, such as media services provided without charge, be reported as contributions at their fair market value. According to FEC guidelines, these in-kind donations must be disclosed by candidates once they exceed $200 in aggregate during an election cycle and are subject to the same legal limits as monetary contributions.

Lewis is known for his tenure as a U.S. Representative from Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District from 2017 to 2019 and his work as a conservative radio host and commentator. As reported by Ballotpedia, he ran for U.S. Senate in 2020 and remains an influential voice on immigration and economic policy within Republican political circles.