Man mistakenly deported to El Salvador is ‘alive and secure’: Trump administration
The US State Department said Saturday that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, is “alive and secure” while being held in a terrorism confinement center in the country. However, no details were provided on the steps the US government is taking to secure his return.
The update came in a court filing after US District Judge Paula Xinis demanded daily updates on Garcia’s condition and the Trump administration’s efforts to secure his return.
Garcia, a Salvadoran national who had been living in the United States with a valid work permit since 2019, was deported on March 15 despite a standing court order protecting him from removal.
A report by the Associated Press, citing court documents, revealed that Garcia had lived in the United States for about 14 years, got married, worked in construction, and was raising three children with disabilities.
Michael Kozak, representing the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, acknowledged the situation in a formal filing, stating that Garcia is currently detained under El Salvador’s domestic authority.
However, the document did not address what specific steps the US government is taking to bring him back—one of Judge Xinis’ explicit directives.
The case has drawn heightened attention following a recent US Supreme Court ruling, which upheld Judge Xinis’ order for the Biden administration to “facilitate and effectuate” Garcia’s return.
While the Supreme Court supported the directive to assist in his return, it noted that the term “effectuate” could potentially overstep judicial authority.
Despite admitting that Garcia’s deportation was a mistake, the Trump administration has said the US cannot immediately return him, citing the complexity of diplomatic procedures. “Diplomatic relations cannot operate at the speed with which the courts are demanding,” the administration stated.
What Trump Said?
President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to meet with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele at the White House on Monday, commented on the case Saturday, saying his administration would comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling if explicitly directed. He praised Bukele for working closely with the US to “eradicate terrorist organizations” and described those deported as “enemy aliens.”
“These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation, and their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!” Trump said.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
