A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to bring a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, back to the United States after he was unlawfully sent to a prison in El Salvador. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis criticized the government’s decision, calling it “wholly lawless” and lacking evidence to support the allegations that Abrego Garcia was once a member of the MS-13 gang. She pointed out that an immigration judge had previously barred the U.S. from deporting him to El Salvador due to the risk of persecution.
The Justice Department has asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to pause Xinis’ ruling. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national with no criminal record, was deported despite having a work permit from the DHS and being married to a U.S. citizen. The White House has described his deportation as an “administrative error” but has labeled him as an MS-13 member, a claim his attorneys dispute.
This case has raised concerns about the government’s authority to remove individuals to other countries without due process. The Justice Department attorney involved in the case, Erez Reuveni, was placed on leave after admitting that Abrego Garcia should not have been deported. Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized his comments, while former Justice Department lawyer Stacey Young defended him and highlighted the ethical challenges faced by DOJ attorneys in balancing loyalty to the president and upholding the rule of law.
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