The Trump administration has notified Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, that it intends to deport him to Uganda, despite a court order protecting him from deportation. Abrego Garcia’s legal team describes this move as an act of “vindictiveness” by the administration.
Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and was later brought back to the US in June after a court order. However, upon his return, he was detained on human smuggling charges.
The US Department of Homeland Security offered him a deal to be deported to Costa Rica in exchange for pleading guilty to the charges and remaining in jail. Abrego Garcia declined the offer and was released on Friday to await trial in Maryland with his family.
Abrego Garcia’s lawyers argue that the Trump administration’s decision to deport him to Uganda is a clear case of vindictiveness. “The government immediately responded to Mr Abrego’s release with outrage,” his lawyers wrote in a court filing.
“Despite having requested and received assurances from the government of Costa Rica that Mr Abrego would be accepted there, within minutes of his release from pretrial custody, an ICE representative informed Mr Abrego’s counsel that the government intended to deport Mr Abrego to Uganda and ordered him to report to ICE’s Baltimore Field Office Monday morning.”
The filing also accuses US officials of “using their collective powers to force Mr Abrego to choose between a guilty plea followed by relative safety, or rendition to Uganda, where his safety and liberty would be under threat”.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, expressed concerns about the due process implications of this case, stating, “no matter what you think about Mr Abrego Garcia, if you believe in due process, you should be infuriated”.
Abrego Garcia’s case has sparked widespread criticism, with many raising concerns about human rights abuses and dangers faced by individuals deported to third countries.
Last month, the Trump administration sent eight men to South Sudan, a country plagued by political instability and violence.
Uganda, the proposed destination for Abrego Garcia, has also faced criticism for its human rights record, particularly regarding its treatment of the LGBTQ community.
The Trump administration has defended its policies, stating that the US president was elected on a promise to carry out the “largest deportation operation” in the country’s history.
However, critics argue that this approach fuels fears of human rights abuses and other dangers faced by those being sent abroad.
In light of these developments, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers and human rights advocates are working to prevent his deportation to Uganda, citing concerns about his safety and liberty.
The case highlights the complexities and challenges surrounding US immigration policies under the Trump administration.