Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March, has once again found himself in federal custody. This development occurred on Monday morning when immigration authorities detained him shortly after he checked in at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Baltimore. An attorney representing Abrego Garcia confirmed this news to NPR, highlighting the ongoing legal struggles faced by the Maryland man.
The detention of Abrego Garcia was anticipated, especially since it came just minutes after he was released from federal custody on Friday in Tennessee. He had been awaiting a trial concerning separate criminal charges. Speaking to his supporters outside the ICE building, Abrego Garcia expressed his emotional state following a brief reunion with his family over the weekend, stating that these moments filled him with hope and provided him with the strength to continue his fight for justice. “God is with us. God will never leave us. God will bring justice to all of the injustice we are suffering,” he said, visibly moved.
In a bold move, Abrego Garcia filed a lawsuit challenging both his current detention and any potential deportation to Uganda or any other country until his immigration court trial is conducted. Following his detention, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, stated that Abrego Garcia is being processed for removal to Uganda. This statement raises questions about the ongoing issues surrounding due process in the context of President Trump’s stringent measures against undocumented immigrants.
Abrego Garcia's case is particularly complicated. He was initially arrested in March and deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, despite a 2019 court order that prohibited his deportation due to credible fears of gang violence in the region. The Trump administration later acknowledged that his removal was an administrative error and facilitated his return to the U.S. in June to face criminal charges. He is currently indicted on two serious counts: conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants and unlawful transportation of migrants without legal status.
Despite the legal challenges, the Trump administration has expressed intentions to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda. In a recent twist, the Ugandan government has indicated that it prefers to accept individuals from other African nations and those without criminal records. Furthermore, Abrego Garcia's attorneys revealed in a court filing that the U.S. government proposed a potential deportation to Costa Rica if he agreed to plead guilty to the criminal charges and serve the resulting sentence. His legal team has criticized this offer as coercive and vindictive.
In light of his current situation, Abrego Garcia made an impassioned plea to his supporters, urging them to continue their fight for justice. "Regardless of what happens today with ICE, please promise me that you will keep fighting, praying, believing in the dignity and the liberty for not only me, but for everyone," he implored, underscoring the broader implications of his case for the immigrant community.
