Major Setback For The Trump Administration As US Supreme Court Orders Return Of Wrongly Deported Salvadoran Migrant
The Trump administration faced a legal setback on Thursday as the US Supreme Court ruled that the government must “facilitate” the return of a Salvadoran migrant who was wrongly deported due to an administrative error. The case, closely watched amid President Donald Trump’s stringent immigration policies, highlights concerns over due process in deportation proceedings.
Who Is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national, had been residing in Maryland before being deported last month. He was among over 200 individuals sent to a prison in El Salvador as part of Trump’s intensified crackdown on undocumented migrants. The administration claimed most of the deportees were affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the US government recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
However, Justice Department lawyers later acknowledged that Abrego Garcia’s deportation was a mistake. The Supreme Court’s ruling mandates his release from custody in El Salvador and ensures that his case is handled as if he had never been wrongfully deported.
Legal Protection and Deportation
Abrego Garcia had been living in the US under protected legal status since 2019, when a judge ruled that deporting him could put him in danger in his home country. Despite this status, he was detained and sent to El Salvador, where he was placed in the highly secure CECOT counter-terrorism prison.
Following his deportation, lower courts ordered the US government to bring him back by midnight on Monday. The administration sought an emergency ruling, leading the Supreme Court to temporarily halt that order just hours before the deadline.
Government’s Justification and US Supreme Court Ruling
The Trump administration contested the lower court’s ruling, arguing that Abrego Garcia was a member of the Salvadoran gang MS-13—an allegation that the courts determined was unsupported by evidence. Government lawyers further argued that because he was already in Salvadoran custody, the US had no jurisdiction to demand his return.
In its petition, the government described the court orders as “unprecedented and indefensible,” stating that they amounted to a demand “that the United States let a member of a foreign terrorist organization into America tonight.”
Despite these assertions, the Supreme Court ruled that Abrego Garcia must be returned to the United States and his case must proceed as if he had not been deported.
US Supreme Court Ruling: Homeland Security’s Stance and El Salvador’s Role
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the deportation policies, stating, “We’re confident that people that are [in CECOT] should be there, and they should stay there for the rest of their lives.” Noem personally visited the CECOT prison on March 26, reinforcing the administration’s tough-on-crime stance.
The White House has also emphasized its $6-million agreement with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, under which El Salvador detains alleged gang members in its high-security facilities. This deal underscores the administration’s strategy of outsourcing detention to foreign governments as part of its broader immigration enforcement efforts.
Also Read: Trump Administration Cites Policy, Not Proof, In Attempt To Deport Columbia Student