NextFin news, On Thursday, September 4, 2025, the Trump administration moved to deport Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran immigrant, from Maryland to El Salvador, according to court proceedings in the U.S. District Court in Maryland.
Garcia, 30, was detained by immigration officials in Maryland on Monday after being released from a Tennessee jail, where he faces a January 2027 trial on alleged human smuggling charges. The administration alleges Garcia is affiliated with the Salvadoran MS-13 gang, a claim he denies.
Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March 2025 during a nationwide immigration crackdown targeting alleged gang members. However, a 2019 court order prohibits his deportation to El Salvador due to credible threats of violence against him by gang members there. The order permits deportation to a different country, which has led to the current attempt to deport him to Uganda.
Garcia's attorneys argue that deportation to Uganda would expose him to persecution and torture, citing documented human rights violations in that country. Garcia filed a Notice of Fear of Removal to Uganda, stating fears of persecution based on race, nationality, political opinion, and membership in a particular social group, as well as fears of torture by public officials in Uganda and potential re-deportation to El Salvador.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis temporarily blocked Garcia's deportation, ruling that he must remain within a 200-mile radius of the Maryland court while in ICE custody. She scheduled a hearing for October 6, 2025, to consider the lawsuit filed by Garcia's attorneys challenging the deportation efforts.
Judge Xinis emphasized that her role is to ensure Garcia's constitutional rights are protected during the legal process, which includes immigration court proceedings and appeals. She will not decide on asylum or deportation merits at this stage.
The Justice Department, represented by attorney Drew Ensign, stated it will comply with the court's order despite disagreeing with the decision.
Garcia's case highlights ongoing tensions in U.S. immigration enforcement policies under the Trump administration, particularly concerning deportations of individuals linked to gang allegations and asylum claims.
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