UPDATE: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man embroiled in a contentious legal battle, is scheduled for deportation to Liberia by October 31, 2023, according to a new court filing from the Trump administration. This announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about Mr. Garcia’s safety and the implications for his legal rights.
In a filing made public on Friday, Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign characterized Liberia as a “thriving democracy” and a close partner of the United States, emphasizing its commitment to human rights. However, Mr. Garcia’s legal team argues that he faces a dire situation, as he has expressed fears of persecution in over 20 countries, with Liberia notably absent from that list.
The latest development marks a significant turn in Mr. Garcia’s case, which began in the spring when he was deported to El Salvador despite an immigration judge’s order protecting him from removal. A federal judge later ordered his return to the U.S., but upon his return, he faced criminal charges of human smuggling linked to a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. Although a judge ordered his release pending trial, immigration officials re-arrested him for deportation, and he has remained in detention in Pennsylvania ever since.
Under the current deportation order, Mr. Garcia cannot be sent back to El Salvador due to threats from the 18th Street gang, a group rivaling MS-13, with which U.S. authorities allege he has ties. The government has sought to deport him to a “third country,” but previous attempts to relocate him to Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana have failed.
Criticism of the decision to deport Mr. Garcia to Liberia has been swift. His attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, condemned the move, stating, “After failed attempts with Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana, ICE now seeks to deport our client, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to Liberia, a country with which he has no connection, thousands of miles from his family and home in Maryland.” He highlighted that a viable option exists, as Costa Rica has expressed a willingness to accept him as a refugee.
The attorney further stated, “Yet the government has chosen a course calculated to inflict maximum hardship. These actions are punitive, cruel, and unconstitutional.”
Adding to the urgency, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, a supporter of Mr. Garcia, criticized the administration’s actions, arguing they undermine his right to defend himself against the pending criminal charges. “The Trump administration has been desperately shopping for faraway countries they can ship Kilmar Abrego Garcia to in order to deny his constitutional due process right to defend himself,” he said.
This deportation could effectively end the criminal case against Mr. Garcia, complicating his legal standing further. Mr. Garcia has also applied for asylum in a last-ditch effort to halt his removal, emphasizing the high stakes involved in this rapidly unfolding situation.
As the clock ticks down to the October 31 deadline, many are closely monitoring the case and its potential implications for immigration policy and the rights of individuals facing deportation. The urgency surrounding this case is palpable, and developments are expected to emerge in the coming days.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
