Trump Administration Weighs Deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Mexico or South Sudan

GREENBELT, Md. — The Trump administration has not decided where it will deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia if a Tennessee court releases him, but an ICE official confirmed Thursday that Mexico and South Sudan are under consideration.

During a federal court hearing in Maryland, ICE assistant director Thomas Giles testified that immigration authorities plan to detain Abrego Garcia immediately upon his release. The El Salvador native faces human smuggling charges and a legal battle over his previous wrongful deportation.

Abrego Garcia’s legal team is pushing for his transfer to Maryland instead of deportation, hoping to keep him in the U.S. to face trial. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis is evaluating the request. Abrego Garcia’s case has become a flashpoint for criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement.

Wrongful Deportation Ignites Legal Fight

In March, ICE deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, violating a 2019 immigration judge’s order that protected him from removal due to gang threats. His lawyers claim he endured beatings and psychological torture in a Salvadoran prison. President Nayib Bukele denies the abuse.

The Supreme Court later ordered Abrego Garcia’s return. Now, he’s seeking to avoid another deportation as a Tennessee court prepares to release him. A Nashville judge previously ruled that Abrego Garcia poses no danger or flight risk, but kept him in custody due to deportation concerns.

ICE Faces Scrutiny Over Deportation Plans

At the Maryland hearing, Giles stated that ICE won’t deport individuals to countries where they face torture or persecution. However, under questioning, he admitted not knowing if Abrego Garcia was tortured in El Salvador.

Attorney Sascha Rand asked whether ICE would give Abrego Garcia a chance to express fear of deportation before removal. Giles said the review process only starts if someone voices fear before takeoff — sometimes just minutes before a flight.

Xinis considered imposing a 48-hour pause on any deportation attempt, but the government declined. A continuation of the hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Legal and Political Ramifications

Abrego Garcia’s wife is suing the administration over the March deportation, seeking to block another removal. The lawsuit cites the family’s decade-long residence in Maryland, where Abrego Garcia worked in construction and raised children.

The Trump administration argues that Abrego Garcia has ties to the MS-13 gang — a claim he denies. He has not been charged with any gang-related crimes.

Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty to the human smuggling charges, which stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. He was driving a vehicle with nine passengers and no luggage, prompting police suspicion but no immediate arrest.

The Justice Department wants to revoke his pending release ahead of a July 16 hearing in Nashville.

For author: Staff News
Courtesy of: Forbes
Source: HuffPost