US Man Wrongly Deported to Be Prosecuted for Trafficking Charges

Kilmar Ábrego García, a 29-year-old previously deported to El Salvador by mistake, is back in the US to incur prosecution over federal trafficking charges allegedly spanning several years.

Kilmar Ábrego García, a 29-year-old from El Salvador, has been returned to the United States to face prosecution following his mistaken deportation in March. Accused of being involved in a trafficking conspiracy, García has been charged with two federal offenses linked to transporting individuals illegally over several years. The U.S. presented an arrest warrant to El Salvador, leading to his release from a mega-prison where he was held with over 250 deportees.

Attorney General Pam Bondi asserted that the grand jury determined García played a significant role in smuggling operations that illegally brought thousands into the U.S. Allegations date back to 2016, claiming he was involved in transporting undocumented individuals between Texas and multiple states, including facilitating the movement of MS-13 gang members, a designation the U.S. recognizes as a foreign terrorist organization. Although the Trump administration accused García of gang membership—an assertion he denies—he has never been convicted of any crime.

García's attorney, Simon Sandoval Moshenberg, referred to the charges as "preposterous," stating that the government's actions were an abuse of power rather than a pursuit of justice. At a news conference, he highlighted the importance of providing García with a fair trial before the immigration judge familiar with his situation.

García originally entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager and was arrested in 2019 along with three others. However, he was granted protection from deportation due to potential threats posed by local gangs in El Salvador. His deportation in March this year occurred amid the previous administration’s immigration crackdown under the Alien Enemies Act, which allows the president to deport individuals from enemy nations.

Initially, government lawyers called García's deportation an "administrative error," but they resisted legal calls for his return. Following scrutiny from political figures about his imprisonment in El Salvador—a notorious facility known for inhumane conditions—García has now been reintroduced to face allegations in the U.S. capital. Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen emphasized the constitutional rights at stake, insisting that the administration must present its case in court, rather than rely on previous missteps. El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has made it clear that his country won't obstruct the U.S.'s desire for a judicial process against García.

He is expected to appear in a Tennessee court where the U.S. plans to argue for his pretrial detention, citing potential dangers to the community and risks of flight.