US Government Reveals Plan for ‘Third Country’ Deportation in Kilmar Abrego Garcia Case
US Government Reveals Plan for ‘Third Country’ Deportation in Kilmar Abrego Garcia Case
The United States government has unveiled plans to initiate a new round of removal proceedings against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran immigrant whose mistaken deportation earlier this year sparked a high-profile legal outcry. Federal prosecutors informed a Maryland judge that the government intends to deport Abrego Garcia to a “third country,” explicitly not El Salvador, where he was previously sent. While the Department of Justice lawyer, Jonathan Guynn, stated the plans are not “imminent,” this revelation significantly escalates the ongoing legal saga surrounding Abrego Garcia.
This development emerged during an emergency request filed by Abrego Garcia’s legal team with US District Judge Paula Xinis in Greenbelt, Maryland. Abrego Garcia is currently detained in Tennessee, facing criminal charges. However, with Tennessee judges indicating his potential release, his lawyers are urgently seeking an order to transfer him to Maryland. Their aim is to prevent a swift re-arrest by immigration agents and a second deportation before he can stand trial. Concerns are high among his legal representatives that the government might attempt a rapid removal “over the weekend.”
Abrego Garcia became a central figure in the Trump administration’s “mass deportation” efforts. Despite a 2019 protection order allowing him to remain in the country, he was arrested and mistakenly deported around March 15, leading to an intense legal battle for his return. Initially held in El Salvador’s controversial CECOT prison, he was later transferred to another facility. Upon his return to the US on June 6, the government revealed an indictment against him on human smuggling charges. This case is currently ongoing in Tennessee, where he has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers contend these charges are a politically motivated attempt to “save face” by the Trump administration, which has accused Abrego Garcia of MS-13 gang affiliation.
Separately, Judge Xinis is evaluating whether Abrego Garcia’s initial March deportation was unlawful and if the Trump administration’s actions constitute contempt of court. Both Judge Xinis and the US Supreme Court previously ruled that the government was obligated to “facilitate” his return. Abrego Garcia’s lawyers argue the government delayed and withheld information regarding his repatriation while secretly preparing criminal charges. On a recent Thursday, Judge Xinis stated she must first address the Trump administration’s pending motions to dismiss the case before ruling on the emergency transfer request. A critical court hearing in Maryland is now scheduled for July 7 to address these matters, with Abrego Garcia remaining in temporary custody in Tennessee to avert another deportation.
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