The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced plans to deport Salvadoran immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia, following a recent agreement between the two nations. According to a court filing made on October 27, 2023, Abrego Garcia could be sent to the West African nation as early as October 31. This move aims to fulfill a standing deportation order against him.
Abrego Garcia’s case has gained considerable attention, highlighting tensions between the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies and efforts by Democratic lawmakers to prevent deportations. In March, Abrego Garcia was mistakenly sent to El Salvador, despite a 2019 court ruling that granted him protection against removal to his home country. His attorneys argue that this latest action is part of a broader pattern of punitive measures by the administration.
The DHS filing emphasized that Liberia is a stable democracy and one of the United States’ key partners in Africa. It noted that the country’s national language is English and its constitution guarantees robust human rights protections. The DHS claims to have received diplomatic assurances from Liberia regarding the humane treatment of deportees.
Legal representatives for Abrego Garcia have condemned the administration’s actions, arguing that deporting him to Liberia—where he has no personal connections—would impose significant hardship. Attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg stated, “After failed attempts with Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana, ICE now seeks to deport our client to Liberia, a country with which he has no connection, thousands of miles from his family and home in Maryland.” Sandoval-Moshenberg further noted that Costa Rica is prepared to accept Abrego Garcia as a refugee, presenting a viable alternative.
Abrego Garcia’s situation has drawn the attention of politicians, including Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who has vocally supported his cause. Van Hollen visited El Salvador in April to meet with Abrego Garcia while he was imprisoned and has been actively advocating for his release. The senator criticized the administration’s approach, stating, “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.”
Abrego Garcia entered the United States illegally in 2011 and was issued a deportation order in 2019. Although some officials in the Trump administration maintain that he is affiliated with the notorious MS-13 gang, two prior judges found insufficient evidence to support this claim. In an earlier ruling, one immigration judge determined that Garcia had not adequately countered evidence of his alleged gang affiliation, making him eligible for removal to any country except El Salvador due to safety concerns from rival gangs.
Currently, Abrego Garcia remains in immigration detention in Pennsylvania. A federal judge in Maryland previously halted his immediate deportation while examining claims that the government has acted retaliatorily in response to his successful challenge against his earlier wrongful removal. The same judge noted in an October order that there are indications his prosecution “may stem from retaliation by the DOJ and DHS.” Meanwhile, a separate case involving human smuggling charges is ongoing in Tennessee.
As this complex legal battle unfolds, the administration’s strategy of deporting immigrants to distant countries continues to face scrutiny, raising questions about fairness and the consequences for individuals caught in the crossfire of immigration policy.
