Top House Republicans refuse to authorize El Salvador trips

• Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who was able to go on an official CODEL to the country, said he was denied access to CECOT by El Salvadorian officials.

Driving the news: House Homeland Security Committee chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) said in a statement he will not grant Rep. Delia Ramirez's (D-Ill.) request to lead an official CODEL.

• "If Democrats care so much about defending this individual, they can use their own personal credit cards—not taxpayers' money—to virtue-signal to their radical base," he said in a statement.
• Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), who made the same request of Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.), have not received a response, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.
• A spokesperson for Comer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The intrigue: Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) both posted photos on social media of themselves at CECOT this week.

• They were there as part of a CODEL led by Smith, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.
• Both Republicans expressed support for President Trump's deportation policies, with Moore saying he left the prison "even more determined to support President Trump's efforts to secure our homeland."

• Smith's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What to watch: Garcia previously signaled to Axios that he and Frost may go ahead with an informal trip without Comer's sign-off, though a CODEL would afford more investigative resources and security.

• Another House Democrat hoping to travel to El Salvador told Axios that he may try to join the trip Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is planning.
• "If Cory Booker's going and he's official — going with someone who's official would be the best way to go," the lawmaker said.