A few newly unsealed court documents related to the deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, linked to the MS-13 gang, were released on Wednesday.
This small batch of documents, which adds limited new information, was made public by U.S. District Judge Paula Sinis after media outlets, including the Post, pushed for access.
The filings mainly contain already known information but also shed light on Senator Chris Van Hollen’s involvement in advocating for the release of undocumented immigrants from a notorious prison and their return to the U.S.
The documents indicated that the Salvadoran government reached out to the U.S. ambassador to Central America on April 17, requesting a meeting prompted by the Maryland Democrats.
The meeting occurred later that same day, and Van Hollen later posted pictures of Salvadoran immigrants on his social media platforms.
During this time, El Salvador’s President Naive Bukele commented on Abrego Garcia’s case, describing his previous deportation experience as a miraculous escape from a “death camp,” while also criticizing his conditions back in El Salvador as being less than ideal.
Other records showed that the Department of Justice sought a one-week extension to provide information to Maryland courts regarding efforts to release MS-13 members from Salvadoran custody.
At 29, Abrego Garcia was deported to a heavily guarded facility in El Salvador in March after being implicated, under a law from the 18th century, during the Trump administration.
Shortly after interacting with Van Hollen, he was moved to a lower-security prison, as reflected in court filings.
Since then, the Supreme Court has instructed the White House to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return.
Nonetheless, the Trump administration has consistently rejected these directives, arguing that it lacks the authority to bring him and his family members back to the U.S.
His deportation defied a 2019 ruling that barred federal officials from sending him back to El Salvador due to potential retaliation threats from the gang.
Federal officials defended the decision to deport Abrego Garcia, linking him to MS-13’s “Western Clique” and suggesting ties to human trafficking activities.
He has faced accusations, including previously being charged with physically abusing his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sula, a U.S. citizen who has been actively advocating for his return.
