After being wrongfully deported, 30-year-old Kilmar Abrego Garcia began stirring uproar over his fate. This Maryland resident became the poster child of the controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s plan to send migrants to a mega-prison in El Salvador. On a Monday, he found himself detained again by U.S. immigration officials right after checking in at a Baltimore office.
Only three days had passed since he was let go from criminal custody in Tennessee and returned to his home located in Beltsville, a Washington, D.C. suburb. Abrego Garcia had already spent over five months behind bars, including harsh conditions in El Salvador’s prison system.
The White House made a statement on social media saying, “ICE law enforcement has arrested Kilmar Abrego Garcia and is processing him for deportation. @POTUS will not permit this illegal alien, who is reportedly connected to MS-13, involved in human trafficking, and poses a threat to public safety, to continue to endanger American citizens. @Sec_Noem added.
Despite the allegations against him, which Abrego Garcia firmly denies, he arrived at the ICE office with his wife and brother, greeted by an enthusiastic group of supporters who chanted “Si se puede,” which translates to “Yes we can.” In the lobby, he shared a supportive embrace with his wife prior to passing through a security checkpoint.
Upon reporting for an interview, his lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, noted that U.S. officials took Abrego Garcia into custody within just a minute of his arrival. The agents did not provide answers to the questions his attorneys had about the detention, nor did they share paperwork related to the arrest.
The lawyer announced that they were still uncertain about Abrego Garcia’s current location. After his legal team took action and filed a new lawsuit challenging the detention, a Maryland federal judge placed a temporary two-day stay of removal, ensuring he could not be deported before August 28.
Abrego Garcia maintains a not guilty plea, and his lawyers said they’ve been discussing possible plea deals with the government related to avoiding deportation to Uganda, which they argue is much more dangerous than Costa Rica.
Sandoval-Moshenberg remarked, “ICE is holding up Costa Rica as a potential option, while threatening to send him to Uganda as a worse alternative. They’re manipulating the immigration process in an unconstitutional manner.”
‘A Less Bad Option’
Just prior to his appointment, Abrego Garcia informed the government officially that Costa Rica would be an acceptable choice for his destination after ensuring from the Costa Rican authorities they would grant him refugee status, and there would be no returning him to El Salvador. The introduction of the second notice expressed Abrego Garcia’s fear of deportation to Uganda due to its political environment and the likelihood of being sent back to El Salvador from there.
According to Sandoval-Moshenberg, this document guarantees Abrego Garcia the right to an interview, meaning the U.S. cannot remove him until this process has been carried out.
In his words, “Being sent to Costa Rica wouldn’t represent justice; it’s simply a significantly less unsafe choice.”
Claims of Maltreatment in Detention
His prior illegal deportation had already seen him wrongfully taken to an infamous high-security prison known as CECOT in El Salvador where, according to court documents, he encountered “brutal beatings” and “psychological harassment.” The deportation itself happened after the Trump administration, acknowledging the mistake in documents, explained it occurred due to an “administrative error.”
Last month, legal filings noted severe mistreatment faced by Abrego Garcia, including extreme sleep deprivation and him losing more than 30 pounds due to inadequate nutrition while in custody.
Legal Move Against Deeper Deportation
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s legal journey now includes a federal lawsuit that seeks to prevent him from being deported without the opportunity to challenge the removal. According to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, this resistance is hindered by what she calls “activist liberal judges,” who impede the administration’s efforts to detain those illegally residing in the U.S. and viewed as threats.
Reflecting critically on a recent ruling, Noem articulated, “By allowing this person to remain free, this judge is showing a disregard for American safety, and we will continue fighting until this Salvadoran individual is brought to justice and removed from our country.”
The Trump Administration’s Focus
As a sheet-metal worker in suburban Washington, Kilmar Abrego Garcia has inadvertently become synonymous with former President Trump’s aggressive and controversial immigration enforcement tactics.
Having entered the U.S. illegally over a decade ago as a minor, regulators finalized a removal order on him in 2019. However, they faced limitations in processing his deportation due to legitimate fears surrounding potential gang violence in El Salvador.
Contributions from Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY and Reuters.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kilmar Abrego Garcia Detained Again, at Center of Immigration Controversy
