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US Official: Man Erroneously Deported to El Salvador is “Alive and Secure”
A man mistakenly deported from Maryland to a high-security prison in El Salvador is “alive and secure,” a United States official informed a judge. This update on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s status comes after the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Trump administration must facilitate his release and return to the US.
Confirmation of Detention
State Department official Michael Kozak stated, “It is my understanding, based on official reports from our Embassy in San Salvador, that Abrego Garcia is being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador.” President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with El Salvador’s president on Monday, amidst ongoing deportations of migrants alleged to be gang members to the Central American nation.
“Administrative Error” and Gang Allegations
The US government has acknowledged that Mr. Garcia’s deportation occurred due to an “administrative error,” although it maintains he is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, a claim refuted by his legal counsel. He was among a group of 238 Venezuelans and 23 Salvadorans deported last month to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), a facility with a notorious reputation, under an agreement between the two countries.
“He is alive and secure in that facility,” Mr. Kozak reiterated on Saturday.
Legal Protection and Supreme Court Involvement
In 2019, an immigration judge had granted Mr. Garcia, a Salvadoran national, legal protection from deportation. The Trump administration initially resisted assisting Mr. Garcia’s return to the US, arguing that Maryland District Judge Paula Xinis overstepped her authority by ordering such action.
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However, the US Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, intervened this week, unanimously supporting the order to aid in his release. Following this decision, Judge Xinis on Friday instructed the Trump administration to provide daily updates on the measures being taken to bring Mr. Garcia back to the United States.
Legal Challenges and Background
In court filings, Mr. Garcia’s attorneys accused the US government of attempting to “delay, obscure, and disregard court orders, while a man’s life and safety is at risk.” Mr. Garcia, 29, originally from El Salvador, entered the US without authorization as a teenager. In 2019, he was apprehended with three other individuals in Maryland and subsequently detained by federal immigration authorities.
He was later granted protection from deportation based on the potential risk of persecution from gangs in his native country.
Trump’s Response and Meeting with El Salvadorian President
President Trump told reporters this week that if the Supreme Court mandated “bring somebody back, I would do that.” “I respect the Supreme Court,” he affirmed.
His meeting with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele is scheduled to take place at the White House on Monday. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed anticipation for the meeting and thanked President Bukele for accepting “some of the most violent alien enemies of the World” – referring to those deported as “barbarians.”
“Their future is up to President B and his Government,” Trump stated. “They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!”