Baltimore, Aug 25 (AP) Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 30-year-old construction worker and Salvadoran national residing in Maryland, surrendered to U.S. immigration authorities in Baltimore on Monday. He now faces potential immediate deportation efforts by the Trump administration.
Prior to turning himself in, Abrego Garcia addressed supporters at a rally, stating through a translator, “This administration has hit us hard, but I want to tell you guys something: God is with us, and God will never leave us. God will bring justice to all the injustice we are suffering.” Moments after he entered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, his wife appeared outside, visibly emotional.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced via tweet that Abrego Garcia was being processed for deportation. Meanwhile, his attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, initiated a federal district court lawsuit in Maryland right after Abrego Garcia's detention, seeking an order to prevent his deportation.
“I expect there's going to be a status conference very promptly, and we're going to ask for an interim order that he not be deported, pending his due process rights to contest deportation to any particular country,” Sandoval-Moshenberg indicated.
Abrego Garcia has previously been entangled in President Donald Trump's stringent immigration policies, becoming a symbol when he was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March. He was later returned to the U.S. in June but faced human smuggling charges, which his lawyers describe as unfounded and retaliatory.
The Trump administration justifies its deportation efforts citing allegations that Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, a claim he denies. He has also pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges filed in Tennessee, asking a judge to dismiss the case on grounds of vindictive prosecution.
Although released from a Tennessee jail last Friday, immigration officials continue to pursue his deportation to Uganda, a country now accepting certain deportees from the U.S. Under the agreement, Uganda accepts individuals without criminal records and unaccompanied minors.
Abrego Garcia declined an offer to relocate to Costa Rica in exchange for pleading guilty to the smuggling charges. Legal documents show Costa Rica's openness to accepting him as a legal immigrant, offering assurance against detention.
Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin emphasized the necessity of holding Abrego Garcia accountable, asserting that he can either plead guilty or face trial, highlighting alleged risks he poses. “Either way, we will hold Abrego Garcia accountable and protect the American people,” Gilmartin stated.
Previously, the erroneous deportation to El Salvador occurred despite a judge identifying a “well-founded fear” of violence for Abrego Garcia there. However, following a court directive, he was returned to the U.S., only to face new charges. His legal team argues that the threats of deportation to Uganda serve as further evidence of prosecutorial bias and retaliation.
The human smuggling charges arise from a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop, where officers suspected smuggling given the nine passengers on board, but Abrego Garcia was allowed to proceed with a simple warning.
Living in Maryland with his American wife and children for several years, Abrego Garcia was eligible for pretrial release last month. However, his attorneys retained him in custody, fearing immediate deportation attempts by the Republican administration if released.
A recent Maryland ruling now mandates ICE to provide 72-hour notice before initiating deportation proceedings, allowing time for a defense. In compliance, an ICE email was sent at 4:01 pm on Friday, indicating that his deportation could proceed no earlier than 72 hours later, excluding weekends.
Federal officials uphold that Abrego Garcia's illegal entry into the U.S. justifies his deportation. Although a 2019 U.S. immigration judge deemed him eligible for deportation, it excluded his native El Salvador. (AP) GRS GRS
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