Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to one of the world’s harshest prisons — is heading back to the United States, but not to freedom. This time, he’s returning to face federal criminal charges.
Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador on March 15 in what officials described as an administrative “error.” That error landed him in CECOT, the Central American mega prison that’s become a symbol of El Salvador’s war on gangs. However, a 2019 US court order had explicitly barred his deportation due to concerns he would be targeted by gangs if returned.
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Despite the standing order, federal officials removed him from the country. His attorneys fought back — and now, he’s coming home under very different circumstances.
“Today’s action proves what we’ve known all along — that the administration had the ability to bring him back and just refused to do so,” said Andrew Rossman, his lawyer and a partner at Quinn Emanuel. “It will now be up to the US judicial system to ensure he receives due process.”
According to ABC News, Abrego Garcia will be prosecuted for allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the United States. The charges, filed under seal in Tennessee, were brought after his controversial deportation — raising further questions about the timing and intent behind his removal.
Critics of President Donald Trump say this case is yet another example of his hardline immigration agenda gone awry.
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“This has become a flash point,” said one legal expert, pointing to growing tension between the executive branch and courts. The US Supreme Court intervened, ordering the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor sharply rebuked the government’s actions, calling his deportation a “warrantless arrest” with no legal justification.
Meanwhile, federal officials have attempted to justify their decision by alleging Abrego Garcia was affiliated with MS-13 — a claim his attorneys vehemently deny. “He has not been charged with or convicted of any crime,” Rossman said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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