The US Supreme Court on Thursday dealt a blow to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The court ordered the federal government to take immediate steps to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old man from El Salvador who was mistakenly deported. Garcia had been living in Maryland before officials removed him last month as part of a larger crackdown.
Deported During Anti-Gang Sweep
Authorities deported Garcia along with over 200 others in a major sweep targeting suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The Trump administration has labeled the group a foreign terrorist organization. However, officials later admitted they had made an error in Garcia’s case. He is married to a US citizen and had legal status at the time of his removal.
The Supreme Court has now ordered the government to help release Garcia from detention in El Salvador. It also told officials to handle his case as though the deportation never took place.
Garcia Had Legal Status Since 2019
Garcia had legally lived in the United States under Protected Legal Status since 2019. A judge had already ruled that sending him back could put him in danger. Yet despite the ruling, officials deported him to El Salvador. There, authorities placed him in the high-security CECOT prison.
Following the deportation, lower courts directed the government to bring Garcia back to the US.
Govt Asked Supreme Court to Delay Return
Just before the deadline to return Garcia, federal officials requested an emergency delay from the Supreme Court. The court temporarily paused the order. However, it eventually sided with Garcia and directed the government to act quickly.
No Solid Proof of Gang Links
Federal officials claimed Garcia was connected to the violent Salvadoran gang MS-13. But the lower courts found that the government didn’t provide enough proof to support that accusation. In response, the government argued that since Garcia was already in El Salvador, it could no longer take action. Officials described the court’s instructions as “unprecedented and indefensible.” They also said it was unfair to force the US to bring back someone they believed had gang ties.
Homeland Security Stands by Deportation
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the decision to deport Garcia. She told Axios, “We’re confident that the people in CECOT belong there and should stay there for life.”
