Context:

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, became a central figure in a heated political and legal battle after being mistakenly deported from the US due to a clerical error. Initially granted withholding of removal in 2019, his erroneous deportation to El Salvador's CECOT prison was later acknowledged by the Trump administration as an administrative mistake. Despite a US court order for his return, the Trump administration resisted, citing foreign policy constraints and labeling him an MS-13 member, a claim his lawyers deny. Political tensions escalated with Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen's intervention, while the Trump administration charged Abrego Garcia with crimes upon his return. The case highlights contentious immigration enforcement policies and due process debates under the Trump administration.

Dive Deeper:

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia was erroneously deported to El Salvador due to a clerical error, despite a 2019 court ruling that protected him from deportation over fears of persecution. His removal brought to light controversial deportation flights to El Salvador that detained hundreds of migrants.

• The Trump administration initially conceded the mistake but later shifted its stance, labeling Garcia as a terrorist and MS-13 gang member. His attorneys refuted these allegations, insisting he was not affiliated with the gang and was entitled to due process.

• Efforts to return Garcia to the US were complicated by the Trump administration's arguments that courts cannot interfere with foreign policy, resulting in a prolonged legal battle. A court order for his return was met with resistance, with the administration asserting it lacked the ability to act due to Garcia's Salvadoran custody.

• Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen met with Garcia in El Salvador, describing him as traumatized by his imprisonment. The Trump administration criticized this portrayal, maintaining Garcia's criminality and releasing documents supporting its claims.

• Upon his return to the US, Garcia faced federal charges related to the unlawful transport of illegal aliens, which the Trump administration used to justify his removal. His lawyer accused the administration of manipulating the legal process to prosecute rather than correct the deportation error, raising concerns about due process and the administration’s handling of the case.