UPDATE: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran man embroiled in a contentious legal battle, is set to be deported to Liberia by October 31, according to a new court filing from the Trump Administration. This announcement comes as tensions rise surrounding his case, which has seen multiple twists and turns over the past few months.
In a filing released on Friday, Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign highlighted Liberia’s status as a “thriving democracy and one of the United States’s closest partners on the African continent.” While Mr. Garcia has expressed fears of persecution in over 20 countries, the U.S. government asserts that Liberia is not one of them, raising questions about the validity of this deportation decision.
The background of this case reveals a troubling journey for Garcia. Initially deported to his home country of El Salvador earlier this year, he was brought back to the U.S. after a federal judge intervened, halting his removal. However, upon his return, a criminal charge related to human smuggling from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee was brought against him. After a judge ordered his release pending trial, immigration officials swiftly re-arrested him, leading to his prolonged detention in Pennsylvania.
Under the current deportation order, Mr. Garcia cannot be sent back to El Salvador due to serious threats from the 18th Street gang, which U.S. officials allege he is affiliated with. This has prompted the government to seek a “third country” willing to accept him. Previous efforts to deport him to Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana have failed, making the plan to send him to Liberia particularly controversial.
His legal team has vocally opposed this move. Attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg criticized the decision, stating, “After failed attempts with Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana, ICE now seeks to deport our client, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to Liberia, a country with which he has no connection.” He emphasized that Garcia’s family resides in Maryland, making this deportation an act of “maximum hardship.”
Furthermore, Sandoval-Moshenberg pointed out that Costa Rica is willing to accept Garcia as a refugee, claiming the government’s decision is punitive and unconstitutional. “These actions are cruel and calculated to inflict harm,” he declared.
Political responses have been swift. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland condemned the deportation, arguing it effectively denies Garcia his constitutional right to confront the pending criminal charges against him. “The Trump administration has been desperately shopping for faraway countries they can ship Kilmar Abrego Garcia to in order to deny his constitutional due process right to defend himself against the charges they have brought,” he stated.
As the deadline for Garcia’s deportation approaches, he has also submitted an application for asylum in a bid to block this removal. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected as his legal team prepares to fight against the impending deportation.
This case underscores the growing complexities surrounding immigration policies and individual rights, especially in the context of ongoing legal battles. As the government pushes forward with its plans, many are left wondering what the future holds for Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as it unfolds.
