In a move defying a U.S. Supreme Court order, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has confirmed that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident mistakenly deported to El Salvador, will remain in Salvadoran custody.
“Now that he’s been confirmed healthy, he gets the honor of staying in El Salvador’s custody 🇺🇸🤝🏼🇸🇻,” Bukele stated on social media.
Abrego Garcia, who had legal residency in the U.S., was deported in March due to what was initially described as an “administrative error.” He was sent to a high-security prison in El Salvador, despite a 2019 court order granting him protection from deportation because of threats from gangs. His deportation has sparked legal and political controversy in the U.S., with courts ordering his return and criticizing the administration’s handling of the case.
The Trump administration has resisted facilitating Abrego Garcia’s return, arguing that the Supreme Court’s directive to “facilitate” his release does not obligate them to take active steps beyond providing a plane if El Salvador chooses to release him. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, “If they want to return him, we would facilitate it, meaning provide a plane. That’s up for El Salvador if they want to return him. That’s not up to us.
President Bukele has dismissed the idea of returning Abrego Garcia, questioning, “How can I return him to the United States? I smuggle him into the United States or what do I do? Of course, I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous.
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) traveled to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia and discuss his return. The meeting drew criticism from President Trump, who labeled the senator a “grandstander” and maintained that Abrego Garcia is a “terrorist,” despite no formal charges being filed against him.
Legal experts warn that the administration’s stance undermines the rule of law and sets a concerning precedent for due process rights. Human rights organizations have also raised alarms about the conditions in Salvadoran prisons and the treatment of detainees like Abrego Garcia.
As the legal battle continues, Abrego Garcia remains incarcerated in El Salvador, with his future uncertain amid the diplomatic standoff between the two nations.
