Judge Orders Action in Abrego Garcia Deportation Case

A Maryland federal judge has denied further delays and ordered the Trump administration to provide discovery and sworn testimony regarding efforts to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order. President Trump acknowledges he could facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return by contacting El Salvador’s president but refuses, maintaining unproven gang affiliation allegations challenged by his legal team. Homeland Security officials claim Abrego Garcia would be deported again if he returned to the U.S., while his family and attorneys argue for his safety and note he has not been convicted of any crime. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and some Democrats are pausing advocacy trips to El Salvador over concerns about Abrego Garcia’s past and political optics. The case has also drawn attention to hundreds of migrants deported to El Salvador without due process, many of whom remain in dangerous conditions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration assert that foreign policy decisions are the executive branch’s responsibility, complicating court-ordered compliance.