Mistaken Deportation to El Salvador Sparks Legal Showdown \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A federal judge sharply criticized the Trump administration over a Maryland man’s mistaken deportation. Despite a Supreme Court ruling, officials provided no clear answers about the man’s whereabouts. The judge ordered daily updates and demanded immediate action to return him.
Quick Looks
- Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
- U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis demanded answers about his return and current location.
- A government lawyer was unable to explain what steps had been taken.
- The Supreme Court ordered the government to facilitate his return.
- Abrego Garcia had legal U.S. work authorization and no criminal record.
- The Trump administration alleges MS-13 ties, though no charges or proof exist.
- His wife, a U.S. citizen, said the family is enduring emotional trauma.
- The judge called the government’s inaction “extremely troubling.”
- Federal officials claim interagency coordination is slowing the process.
- The court ordered daily progress reports until Abrego Garcia is returned.
Deep Look
A federal judge issued a blistering rebuke of the Trump administration on Friday, criticizing its failure to act after wrongfully deporting a Maryland man to El Salvador — a country he had been legally protected from returning to. Despite a direct ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court instructing officials to facilitate the man’s return, government attorneys were unable to provide any concrete information about his location, status, or plans to bring him back.
The man at the center of the legal firestorm is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national who had been living and working legally in the United States. He was mistakenly deported last month despite a standing immigration court order that prohibited his removal due to well-documented fears of gang persecution in his home country.
“Where Is He?” Judge Demands Answers
In a tense courtroom exchange in Maryland, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis repeatedly questioned government attorney Drew Ensign about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts and the federal response to his wrongful deportation.
“All I know is that he’s not here,” Judge Xinis said. “The government was prohibited from sending him to El Salvador, and now I’m asking a very simple question: where is he?”
Ensign, a deputy assistant attorney general, struggled to provide clarity, admitting he did not have direct knowledge of any actions taken by federal agencies to return Abrego Garcia. He said the government had no evidence contradicting the belief that Abrego Garcia remains imprisoned in El Salvador — but offered no timeline or commitment for his return.
Xinis expressed disbelief and frustration at the lack of coordination or transparency from the Trump administration, stating flatly: “Despite this court’s clear directive, your clients have done nothing to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia.”
Supreme Court Weighs In
The Supreme Court had already intervened in the case on Thursday, rejecting an emergency appeal from the administration and affirming Judge Xinis’ earlier order from April 4. The high court ordered the federal government to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s release from Salvadoran custody and to ensure that his immigration case proceeds as it would have had he not been wrongly deported.
In a rare move, the Court’s ruling was issued without noted dissents, a sign of consensus even amid ongoing political tension. The justices were careful to clarify that the order should not overstep the executive branch’s authority in foreign affairs — but emphasized that the administration had a legal obligation to correct the wrongful deportation.
A Man With No Charges, No Conviction — But Deported
The Trump administration has claimed Abrego Garcia has ties to the MS-13 gang, a label often used in enforcement rhetoric around immigration. But he has never been charged with or convicted of any crime. Judge Xinis’ April order described the allegations as “vague” and “uncorroborated,” and concluded that his removal was “wholly lawless.”
Abrego Garcia, a sheet metal apprentice pursuing a journeyman license, had work authorization from the Department of Homeland Security and no criminal record. He is married to Jennifer Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen, and the couple have children together.
His wife has been vocal about the emotional toll the deportation has taken on their family. “I am anxiously waiting for Kilmar to be here in my arms, and in our home putting our children to bed,” she said. “I will continue fighting until my husband is home.”
Government Scrambles After Supreme Court Loss
Despite the Supreme Court’s directive, federal officials appeared unprepared to comply. In a Friday morning court filing, attorneys for the Trump administration described the judge’s timeline as “impractical” and said they needed more time to evaluate the high court’s order.
Ensign also cited the involvement of three federal departments — likely including Homeland Security, State, and Justice — and noted that “interagency coordination” was a complicating factor. However, Judge Xinis was unimpressed by the bureaucratic excuses.
“If you can do it, do it tomorrow,” she told Ensign before ordering the government to file daily updates on its actions to bring Abrego Garcia back.
The government’s filing also pushed back against judicial intervention in foreign affairs, arguing it was “unreasonable” to expect details about diplomatic or logistical steps before they had been internally approved.
“Foreign affairs cannot operate on judicial timelines,” the administration’s attorneys wrote, “in part because it involves sensitive country-specific considerations wholly inappropriate for judicial review.”
A Growing Legal and Humanitarian Controversy
The case of Abrego Garcia is rapidly becoming a flashpoint in the immigration debate. While the Trump administration has long taken a hardline stance, critics say this case highlights the human cost of rushed enforcement and lack of oversight.
The mistaken deportation — and the government’s admitted error — has drawn sharp rebukes from immigration advocates and legal experts. The Supreme Court’s involvement suggests that even the conservative-leaning majority views the administration’s handling of the case as deeply flawed.
For Judge Xinis, the immediate concern is not politics, but accountability. Her order demands that federal officials do more than consider their options — they must act to correct what the court described as a clear miscarriage of justice.
Whether Abrego Garcia will be returned swiftly remains uncertain. But with daily reporting now mandated and federal pressure mounting, his family, legal team, and community remain hopeful that his nightmare abroad may soon come to an end.
Mistaken Deportation to
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