A federal judge issued a temporary halt on Monday to the Trump administration’s initiative to deport Salvadoran immigrant Kilmer Abrego Garcia from the U.S. to a third nation, effectively pausing plans to send him to Liberia.
This interim decision from U.S. District Judge Paula Kishinis extends two previous orders that prevented Abrego-Garcia’s deportation to a third country. This action followed a request from ICE Director Todd Lyons to revoke the injunction, as the government aimed to expedite his removal to Liberia.
In a court session, Lyons expressed that the Department of Homeland Security ignored Abrego’s request for transfer to Costa Rica because he hadn’t deemed it a priority at a 2019 immigration hearing.
As it stands, Abrego-Garcia will remain incarcerated pending further hearings based on the judge’s recommendations.
“The regulations do not permit individuals to choose a destination for deportation beyond what was offered to them in the initial removal process,” Lyons stated. He expressed concern that allowing individuals to redo their country choices after years could lead to them evading deportation altogether.
Lyons also noted the ongoing discussions between the U.S. and Liberia over Abrego-Garcia’s removal, indicating that abandoning these talks might undermine the diplomatic reliability of the U.S.
Since his appointment in March, Abrego-Garcia’s situation has sparked significant legal and political controversy. He was returned forcibly to El Salvador, which contradicted a previous 2019 court ruling that had identified the action as an “administrative error.” Last year, Judge Sinis mandated that Abrego-Garcia be returned to the U.S. immediately, kicking off a convoluted process that traversed multiple continents and U.S. courts.
In a prior ruling, Sinis had ordered the Department of Homeland Security to immediately re-detain Abrego-Garcia and prevent his deportation to several countries, including Liberia—a point of contention in court discussions.
In his ruling, Sinis criticized the Trump administration for not demonstrating a valid reason to believe they could transfer Abrego-Garcia to another country soon. He pointed out the lack of assurance that those countries would accept him or that he wouldn’t be returned to El Salvador, given previous threats against him from local gangs that had been presented in 2019.
The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond promptly to inquiries about the latest developments in the case.
This temporary order occurs amidst stiff criticism from Trump officials directed at Sinis and other judges who deal with deportations. They have been described as “activist” judges overstepping their bounds.
Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security has emphasized that Abrego-Garcia is in the U.S. illegally and has dismissed descriptions of him as a “Maryland guy,” mentioning allegations of his ties to the MS-13 gang—claims his lawyers dispute.
A decision from the U.S. judge on Abrego-Garcia’s outcome is expected “soon” following an extensive hearing.
Lawyers representing Kilmer Abrego Garcia condemned the Trump administration’s renewed deportation endeavors to Liberia, framing them as contradictory to the administration’s claims about avoiding deportations to Costa Rica.
Abrego Garcia’s attorney remarked that officials are, in essence, “speaking from both sides.”
“While Mr. Abrego García forfeited his right to designate Costa Rica as a country of exile several years ago, now they assert the right to name Liberia as a destination,” he said.
This narrative is developing, and readers should stay tuned for updates.
