Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father and husband living in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration on accusations of being a member of the MS-13 gang, despite a judge’s order barring him from being sent there. He has never been charged with a crime in the U.S. and his wife and attorney deny the accusations against him. The legal battle over his return is ongoing, with a federal judge ordering the administration to facilitate his release. Abrego Garcia was temporarily released to meet with Senator Chris Van Hollen, where he expressed sadness about being in prison. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has said Abrego Garcia will remain imprisoned.
Abrego Garcia was born in El Salvador and came to the U.S. as a teenager. He met his wife in 2016 and the couple has children together. In 2019, he was arrested for loitering and accused of being an MS-13 member, a claim based on hearsay and his attire. Despite his denials and the lack of evidence, he was placed in deportation proceedings.
After seeking asylum and withholding of removal, Abrego Garcia was granted legal status in the U.S. and released, only to be arrested and deported to El Salvador in March 2025. His wife has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for violating the 2019 order. Abrego Garcia’s fate now rests on the outcome of the legal battle over his return to Maryland.
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