BALTIMORE — After a long separation of 160 days, Kilmar Abrego Garcia finally reunited with his family last week, only to find himself back in ICE custody following an immigration check-in on Monday, as confirmed by his lawyer.
This appointment with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Baltimore was required as part of his release from federal custody on parole last Friday.
Typically, these check-ins are straightforward and meant solely for updates on cases. However, Abrego’s legal team had reasons to believe that he would be taken into custody, especially after recent news from the Trump administration hinted at plans to deport him to Uganda over the weekend.
Attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg expressed concern, stating, “There was no justification for taking him into ICE detention… it seems like they just wanted to punish him for exercising his right to fight against the proceedings.” Abrego’s attorneys questioned ICE officers about his detention, but the officers remained tight-lipped about the reasons and the next steps.
Prior to his ICE appointment, Abrego appeared at a press conference, flanked by family, supporters, faith leaders, and his legal team, all advocating for his freedom. “I’m Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and I want you to remember that I was able to reunite with my family,” he declared in Spanish, a message that was translated into English. “This is truly a miracle. Thank you to God and to everyone in the community. I appreciate each of you who marched, spoke up, never stopped praying, and continued to fight for me.”
This recent setback is the government’s latest effort to boot Abrego from the U.S. after he was incorrectly deported to El Salvador back in March, which violated a court order from 2019. After enduring extensive legal battles, he was sent back to the U.S. in June but also faced human smuggling charges in Tennessee, which he has pleaded not guilty to.
His representation claims the Trump administration has wrongfully categorized him as a member of the violent MS-13 gang — a claim that his attorneys firmly deny. They argue Abrego came to the U.S. illegally at the age of 16 to escape the perils of gang violence in El Salvador and join his brother in Maryland.
Recently, Abrego was offered a plea deal by the Trump administration, with his lawyers asserting that this move is merely an attempt at vindictive, selective prosecution that aims to erase the charges in Tennessee.
If he were to accept a guilty plea regarding the federal charges from Tennessee, he could then be deported to Costa Rica, where officials have assured he would be treated as a free man, according to legal documents.
However, before the Monday appointment, Sandoval-Moshenberg made it clear that Abrego refuses to take the plea deal, affirming that he won’t accept charges of which he doesn’t believe he is guilty, potentially dropping the idea of being deported to Costa Rica.
Abrego’s legal team is pushing back hard against what they perceive as efforts by the Trump administration to intimidate him.
“They’re trying to punish him here. They’re weaponizing the deportation process, deciding where to send him instead of addressing his rights,” Sandoval-Moshenberg stated outside Abrego’s brother’s Maryland home last Saturday.
Gary Grumbach reported from Baltimore while Marlene Lenthang and Rebecca Cohen contributed reports from New York and Los Angeles, respectively.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com
