Trump administration gives judge update on Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia : NPR

A Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador is alive and nonetheless detained within the nation, the Trump administration mentioned in a filing to a federal decide on Saturday.

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia is being held at El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Middle, in response to Michael G. Kozak, a senior official in State Division’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, citing america’ embassy in San Salvador within the submitting.

“He’s alive and safe in that facility. He’s detained pursuant to the sovereign, home authority of El Salvador,” Kolzak additionally wrote.

The submitting follows federal decide Paula Xinis’ order on Friday that the Trump administration present each day updates on their efforts to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S.

In her new order, which was issued after the Supreme Court docket upheld her unique order to convey Abrego Garcia again, Xinis directed the federal authorities to “take all obtainable steps to facilitate the return” of Abrego Garcia to the U.S. as quickly as potential. She additionally ordered the Justice Division to supply a direct replace on his location and standing, the steps the federal government has taken to this point to convey Abrego Garcia again and what extra actions it’s contemplating.

The Trump administration on Friday requested for extra time to reply Xinis’ questions, arguing that the federal government wants “a significant alternative to overview the Supreme Court docket’s determination earlier than it’s ordered to report what steps it’s going to soak up response to that call.”

Abrego Garcia is a Salvadoran citizen who has lived in Maryland for nearly 15 years. Whereas he initially entered the U.S. with out being granted authorized standing, a federal decide in 2019 granted him safety from being deported, as a consequence of issues for his security if he have been to return to El Salvador. He additionally has had no prison file.

Abrego Garcia was arrested in March and, just a few days later, positioned on a flight with different males the Trump administration alleged have been members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. A Justice Division lawyer conceded in courtroom that Abrego Garcia’s deportation was a mistake, or as he put it, an “administrative error.”

Abrego Garcia’s legal professional, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, mentioned in an announcement to NPR, “We’re incredulous. Twenty-four extra hours and nonetheless no solutions as to what they’ve executed to this point, and what they’re planning on doing going ahead, to hold out the Supreme Court docket’s ruling.”

Murray Osorio PLLC, an immigration legislation agency Sandoval-Moshenberg is with that can also be representing Abrego Garcia, mentioned in a further assertion that whereas the acknowledgment of his location is an “overdue first step, it does nothing to deal with the federal government’s obligation to return him safely and instantly to america.”

“The continued delay in executing a Supreme Court docket mandate just isn’t solely unacceptable—it’s a direct affront to the rule of legislation,” the agency mentioned. “The Division of Homeland Safety and the Division of State should act with out additional delay and supply full transparency in regards to the steps being taken to make sure Mr. Abrego Garcia’s secure return.”

NPR’s Joel Rose, Nina Totenberg and Christina Gatti sontributed to this report.