Trump petitions Supreme Court to halt execution of order compelling U.S. to retrieve man erroneously expelled to El Salvador
Here's a fresh take:
Donald Trump's team is begging the Supreme Court to stop a lower court order, which mandates officials to retrieve a man wrongfully sent to El Salvador, back to Maryland.
The high-stakes legal battle centers around Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, who found himself in El Salvador's Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) after being accidentally expelled from the U.S. on March 15, 2025. Abrego Garcia, who denies being part of the notorious MS-13 gang, has a history of living harmoniously in the U.S. with his family for over a decade.
With the 11:59 p.m. Monday deadline set by a lower court judge fast approaching, the Trump administration contends that bringing Abrego Garcia back to the States is impossible due to his current detention by Salvadoran authorities. Abrego Garcia's deportation adds more fuel to the already raging inferno of criticism towards the White House's hardline deportation policies.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland demanded Abrego Garcia's return by April 7, 2025. But the Trump administration filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court to void this order. Recently, the Supreme Court partially endorsed the District Court's ruling, instating that the government should assist in Abrego Garcia's release from El Salvador, without specifying a new return date[1][2][3].
Justice Sotomayor highlighted in a statement that the government lacked legitimate grounds for Abrego Garcia's arrest and deportation, and emphasized that he should be swiftly returned. Supporting Judge Sotomayor's sentiments, SMART (Save our Migrant Rights Together) and Abrego Garcia's family reject the administration's inaction and urge his immediate return to the U.S., where he can receive the due process that he deserves[1].
Note: This story is still unfolding. Keep an eye out for updates.
For more context
- Abrego Garcia has a withholding order that prevented his expulsion to El Salvador, a fact contested by the Trump administration.
- The Supreme Court's decision supports Abrego Garcia's request for due process, signaling the administration's error in handling his case.
- In the face of the Supreme Court's partial endorsement of the District Court's ruling, the Trump administration added an emergency application seeking to overturn the order mandating the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.
- The deadline set by the lower court judge for Abrego Garcia's return, which falls on April 7, 2025, is approaching rapidly, fueling criticism towards the Trump administration's hardline deportation policies as the deportation of Abrego Garcia only serves to intensify this controversy.
- In a statement, Justice Sotomayor pointed out the government's lack of legitimate grounds for Abrego Garcia's arrest and deportation, emphasizing the immediate need for his return to the U.S. to receive due process, a sentiment shared by SMART (Save our Migrant Rights Together) and Abrego Garcia's family.
