GREENBELT, Md. — A federal judge in Maryland is expected to make a ruling soon on whether to grant the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody. Garcia's deportation to El Salvador in March, a move that violated a prior court settlement, has ignited intense debate regarding the implications of immigration policies under the previous Trump administration.
Upon his return to the U.S. in June, Garcia has faced government efforts to deport him to a range of African nations. His legal representatives assert that these actions stem from an attempt to penalize him and bolster the embarrassment associated with the earlier wrongful deportation.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has already imposed an injunction to prevent his immediate removal, although the government is now seeking to dissolve that injunction. In recent court proceedings, an official from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) testified in support of the proposal to deport Garcia to Liberia, indicating that other countries have been considered as well, including Uganda and Ghana.
Garcia, who has been legally residing in the U.S. for years, is married to an American citizen and has a child. His journey to the U.S. began when he immigrated illegally from El Salvador as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge recognized Garcia's need for protection from potential threats if returned to his homeland. Lacking a feasible destination to El Salvador for deportation, officials are seeking to send him to a third country, despite Garcia expressing willingness to relocate to Costa Rica, where he could live freely.
The judge presiding over the case echoed concerns regarding the legitimacy of Garcia's detention in the absence of a final removal order, stating, “You can’t fake it ’till you make it.” Judge Xinis has promised to deliberate over the complexity of the case before issuing her ruling.
Even if Garcia is released, the government's efforts to pursue his deportation are likely to continue. Amidst speculation about the government’s motives, his attorney has urged that there is no understandable rationale to delay sending him to Costa Rica after months of waiting.
As the case unfolds in court, it reveals the heightened tensions and implications surrounding U.S. immigration enforcement practices.
