García's legal team accuses the government of coercion, highlighting the risks he faces in Uganda, a country with which he has no ties, as he prepares for an immigration court hearing.
US Government Moves to Deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Uganda after Rejection of Plea Deal
US Government Moves to Deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Uganda after Rejection of Plea Deal
In a controversial move, US authorities plan to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Uganda after he turned down a plea deal that would have allowed him to be sent to Costa Rica instead.
Less than 24 hours after being released from custody, Kilmar Ábrego García, an El Salvadoran national, has been informed by US officials of a potential deportation to Uganda. His lawyers assert that this action follows his refusal to accept a plea deal related to human smuggling charges. The offer had included a path to deportation to Costa Rica, but now García faces a dire choice that his attorneys describe as "coercive".
García was previously deported to El Salvador in March due to what officials called an "administrative error." He was brought back to the U.S. to address ongoing criminal charges, and after being held in a Tennessee jail, he was released. The plea deal with Costa Rica hinged on him pleading guilty to the charges, but upon his release, he was instead met with the possibility of deportation to Uganda—a country with which he has no known connections.
The plea agreement proposed by the US government would have allowed him refuge in Costa Rica, where the government has promised him legal status. However, his attorneys allege that the government is attempting to leverage the threat of deporting him halfway across the world to compel his guilty plea. "The DOJ, DHS, and ICE are using their 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," they claimed in court filings.
His legal counsel has indicated that García has until Monday morning to accept the plea deal for relocation to Costa Rica, or the opportunity will be rescinded. Currently in Maryland with family, García is set to appear in a Baltimore immigration court on the same day. Should the court approve the government's request, he could be deported swiftly.
This case sits within the US's larger framework of strict immigration policies, particularly under the Trump administration's campaign against illegal immigration. García was initially housed in a notorious prison in El Salvador upon his deportation but was later permitted to return to the US after a judge mandated his reintegration due to the procedural mishap. Although he has pleaded not guilty to the smuggling charges, the looming threat of deportation continues to overshadow his legal battle.
