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A man who found himself wrongfully deported from Maryland to a notorious prison in El Salvador is reportedly “alive and secure,” according to a U.S. official’s statement to a judge.
This development concerning Kilmar Abrego Garcia emerged shortly after the Supreme Court mandated that the Trump administration take measures to facilitate his return to the United States.
“Based on official communications from our Embassy in San Salvador, I have been informed that Abrego Garcia is currently held at the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador,” stated State Department official Michael Kozak.
This week, President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with the El Salvadoran leader amid ongoing discussions surrounding the deportation of over 200 migrants, whom the administration claims are gang members.
The U.S. government has acknowledged that Mr. Garcia’s deportation resulted from an “administrative error,” while also asserting that he is linked to the MS-13 gang, a claim his legal representation vehemently disputes.
Last month, Garcia was among a group of 238 Venezuelans and 23 Salvadorans deported to El Salvador’s infamous Terrorism Confinement Centre (Cecot) under a controversial agreement between the two nations.
An immigration judge had previously granted Mr. Garcia, a Salvadoran by origin, legal protection from deportation in 2019.
The Trump administration had resisted efforts to assist Mr. Garcia in returning to the U.S., arguing that Maryland District Judge Paula Xinis had overstepped her authority with her order.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court, which holds a conservative majority, unanimously endorsed the decision to ensure that his release is facilitated.
On Friday, Judge Xinis directed the Trump administration to provide her with daily progress updates regarding Garcia’s return to the United States.
According to court documents, Garcia’s attorneys claimed the government was employing tactics to “delay, obfuscate and circumvent court orders while a man’s life and safety hang in the balance.”
At 29 years old, Mr. Garcia entered the U.S. illegally as a minor, fleeing from El Salvador. Following his arrest alongside three other men in Maryland in 2019, he was detained by federal immigration officials.
He ultimately received protection from deportation on the basis that he could face persecution from gangs if returned to his homeland.
This week, Trump indicated that he would comply with the Supreme Court’s directive, stating, “If the Supreme Court says ‘bring somebody back, I would do that.’ I respect the Supreme Court.”
A meeting with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele is scheduled to take place at the White House on Monday, where discussions are expected to touch upon issues surrounding migration and security.
In a post shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed anticipation for the meeting, thanking Bukele for accepting “some of the most violent alien enemies of the World,” referring to those being deported as “barbarians.”
He emphasized that “Their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!”
Source
www.bbc.com