The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration to bring back a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, despite a standing court order that barred his removal.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29, had been legally living and working in the U.S. when immigration officials suddenly deported him last month. He’s now being held in one of El Salvador’s most notorious prisons, even though a 2019 ruling had blocked his deportation due to credible threats of gang violence if he returned.
The high court rejected the Trump administration’s emergency appeal to avoid bringing him back and instead instructed federal officials to take steps to facilitate his return. The court emphasized that the case should be handled as if Abrego Garcia had never been wrongfully deported.
While the administration insists Abrego Garcia was associated with the MS-13 gang, there is no formal charge or conviction against him, and judges have noted there is little evidence to support the claim.
Abrego Garcia had a valid work permit, was training as a sheet metal apprentice, and is married to a U.S. citizen. A Justice Department lawyer even admitted the deportation was a mistake, but the administration claimed it was powerless to undo it.
The Supreme Court disagreed. While recognizing limits on court authority over foreign affairs, the justices still demanded accountability and transparency from the administration, asking for details on efforts made to retrieve Abrego Garcia, and what else could be done.
District Judge Paula Xinis, who originally blocked the deportation, called the government’s actions “wholly lawless.” She ordered his return by a specific deadline, which the Supreme Court extended but upheld in principle.
This ruling adds new scrutiny to the Trump administration’s hardline immigration tactics and how they impact individuals with legal protections already in place.
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