In a significant legal development, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has denied the Trump administration’s request to overturn a lower court’s order mandating the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national mistakenly deported from Maryland to El Salvador in March 2025. The deportation occurred despite a 2019 court ruling that granted him protection from removal due to credible threats from gangs in his home country. Newsweek+15Wikipedia+15Time+15
The administration contends that Abrego Garcia is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, citing documents released by the Department of Justice. However, his attorneys dispute these claims, and fact-checkers have noted that he has not been convicted of any gang-related offenses. ABC News+6Latest news & breaking headlines+6Latest news & breaking headlines+6PolitiFact
The Supreme Court has ordered the U.S. government to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, emphasizing the importance of upholding due process rights. Despite this, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has refused to release him, labeling him a “terrorist” and asserting that he will not “smuggle a terrorist into the United States.” Politico+16Wikipedia+16USA TODAY+16
Senator Chris Van Hollen recently met with Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, highlighting concerns over the administration’s handling of the case and the broader implications for the rule of law.
