Salvadoran immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia reported to the ICE Field Office in Baltimore on Monday, where he is likely to be deported to Uganda, according to his lawyer. This follows a tense six-month legal battle over his immigration status that involved multiple court hearings and three federal judges from Tennessee and Maryland.
The Justice Department claims Abrego Garcia is affiliated with the MS-13 gang in El Salvador and has been accused of transporting undocumented immigrants in Tennessee, among other allegations. Supporters of Abrego Garcia argue that he is a hardworking father unfairly targeted by the Trump administration, pointing out that a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to support the gang membership claims.
Currently, an immigration judge has ruled that he cannot return to El Salvador due to safety concerns, leading to plans for his deportation to a third country.
In a recent twist earlier this year, he was offered a plea deal related to human smuggling charges, shortly after the Justice Department proposed resettling him in Costa Rica. However, Abrego Garcia declined this offer.
His legal team has asserted that the administration’s prosecution is both “vindictive” and selective. They believe the plea offer signifies a pressure campaign against him, where various government agencies are attempting to coerce him into making a choice between accepting a plea or being sent to Uganda.
After turning down the Costa Rica proposal, he was informed that he needed to decide by Monday, or the offer would no longer stand.
There’s been notable tension between the courts and the Trump administration regarding Abrego Garcia’s case. His legal representatives submitted a motion to dismiss the charges against him, highlighting the complications around his detention. If ICE moves to arrest him immediately, it may violate a prior court ruling established by U.S. District Judge Paula Sinis.
Moreover, reports indicate that DHS and ICE officials were consulting with legal advisors regarding how to expedite his removal, despite opposition from Justice Department lawyers, who consider him a potential danger.
On Friday, DHS Executive Director Christi Noem affirmed that while Abrego Garcia had been released from custody, the administration would continue to pursue action against him.
In a show of support for Abrego Garcia and his family, the immigration advocacy group Casa was organizing early morning candlelight vigils outside a Baltimore detention center.
Lydia Walther Rodriguez, a leader at Casa, expressed that Kilmar represents those brave enough to confront the administration’s alleged unlawful deportation practices.
