Trump Administration’s ‘Error’ in Deportation Case Explained

Deportation Controversy: Trump Admin’s Admission of Mistake

​In March 2025, the Trump administration acknowledged that Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident and Salvadoran national, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador due to an administrative error. Despite this admission, the administration contends that he should not be allowed to return to the United States.

Abrego Garcia fled El Salvador as a teenager to escape gang threats and had been residing in Maryland with his U.S. citizen wife and their disabled child. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from deportation, recognizing his credible fear of persecution if returned to El Salvador. However, on March 15, 2025, he was deported amid a series of expedited deportations initiated by the administration. ​

The administration alleges that Abrego Garcia is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, citing informant information. Abrego Garcia has consistently denied these claims, and his legal representatives argue that he has no criminal record or gang affiliations. Despite acknowledging the deportation error, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asserts that facilitating his return is not feasible and maintains that he should remain in El Salvador.

This situation has sparked legal challenges, with Abrego Garcia’s attorneys seeking court intervention to compel the U.S. government to request his return. The administration, however, argues that the courts lack jurisdiction in this matter, leading to a complex legal debate over immigration authority and individual rights.

As of now, Abrego Garcia remains detained in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), with ongoing legal proceedings in the United States addressing the circumstances of his deportation and potential remedies.