Everything we know about the mistaken deportation of Kilmar Abrega-Garcia

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran living in Maryland, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador despite a judge allowing him to stay in the USA. When he was arrested in 2019 while job hunting, he received a deportation deferral that provided him with limited legal protection. In March, federal officials falsely claimed his status had changed and deported him within days. Several Trump administration officials, including the Attorney General and ICE leadership, initially admitted the deportation was an 'administrative error.' However, Trump advisor Stephen Miller later contradicted this, insisting that Abrego Garcia was lawfully deported and blamed a Justice Department lawyer for the mistake. Despite claims of being a gang member, Abrego Garcia was never charged with MS-13 affiliation, and a federal judge found the evidence against him flimsy and unconfirmed. The Supreme Court ruled ambiguously in his case, affirming a lower court's demand that the administration must 'facilitate' his return without directly ordering it. The Trump administration has since argued it has broad powers in foreign affairs and cannot be compelled to act. A hearing before a federal court will determine the next steps the government must take.