Administration breached 2019 agreement in deporting a man to El Salvador, as ruled by judge.
Hear this Out:
In a jaw-dropper of a ruling, a federal judge, none other than Trump's alum, Stephanie Gallagher, decided to give the boot to the Trump administration for sending a 20-year-old Venezuelan lad named Cristian back to El Salvador - in violation of an agreement. This occurred shortly after Cristian's asylum application was filed, and it didn't sit right with the judge.
The judgment came down on Wednesday when Gallagher chastised the administration for breaking a settlement deal that came about in a July 2019 lawsuit - regarding the unlawful adjustments made to asylum application policies for young, undocumented immigrants. The judge decreed that Cristian, along with anyone else covered by the settlement, should be brought back to the United States to await a ruling on the validity of their asylum claims.
Now, unless you're a legal eagle, you might want to sit down for this. The admin argued that Gallagher doesn't have the authority to scrutinize Cristian's expulsion or command his return to the States. They also stoutly denied that the deportation went against the settlement agreement. But Gallagher wasn't having it, dishing out a verdict that slapped down their arguments and ordered the feds to put in a "good faith request" to El Salvador's government to bring Cristian back to U.S. custody.
So, it seems the Trump administration is once more dancing with legal sparring partners over immigration matters, and it's not looking good for them. You may recall another case, involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully sent packing to El Salvador. Courts have previously ordered such wrongly deported folks to be returned to the U.S. for their asylum cases.
However, the Trump administration argues that they boosted up the removal because they deemed members of the Tren de Aragua gang to be a menace, part of an "invasion," threatening our national security. But the judge hasn't seen any solid proof of Cristian posing a threat. Just a reminder - this is all going down amidst Trump's efforts to use an old 1798 war law, the Alien Enemies Act, to bust up these gangs. Keep your eyes peeled for more fireworks in this case, folks.
As reported by Kunzelman for the Associated Press.
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- The Trump administration is finding itself in legal disputes yet again, this time over the deportation of a 20-year-old Venezuelan named Cristian, which was ruled as a violation of an agreement by a federal judge, Stephanie Gallagher.
- Gallagher, a former Trump alum, has ordered the administration to bring Cristian back to the United States, despite their argument that she lacks the authority to scrutinize the expulsion or command his return.
- The judicial ruling comes amidst Trump's attempts to use an old war law, the Alien Enemies Act, to combat gangs like Tren de Aragua, but solid proof of Cristian posing a threat has not been presented.
- This case eerily resembles another one involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, where courts have previously ordered the return of wrongfully deported individuals for their asylum cases.
- In another development, the Trump administration is still resisting the judge's orders in the Abrego Garcia deportation case, indicating a general resistance to comply with legal rulings in immigration matters.
- The USC (University of Southern California) community and immigration advocates are closely watching policy-and-legislation proceedings, as well as political news, in the hope of witnessing fairer treatment of immigrants under the current government.
- News about Cristian's case, the ongoing resistance by the Trump administration, and the broader issues of immigration justice in California are continuously making headlines in general news and policy discussions.
