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Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a longtime authorized resident of the United States, was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025, regardless of a courtroom order that ought to have protected him from removing. His case rapidly drew nationwide consideration, sparking bipartisan criticism of the Trump administration over what many are calling a serious immigration misstep. As questions swirl about how such an error occurred, many are additionally asking: why was Abrego Garcia detained within the first place—and what led to his controversial deportation?
Here’s the whole lot to find out about his case, together with why Abrego Garcia was deported, the place he’s now, and extra updates.
Who Is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?
Abrego Garcia is a 30-year-old El Salvadoran citizen and a authorized Maryland resident. Up till March 2025, he was residing within the state legally.
In 2011, Abrego Garcia immigrated to the U.S. as an undocumented resident when he was 16 years outdated. In 2019, he was arrested on suspicion of being related to a gang — regardless of there being no proof to again up the accusation. Abrego Garcia was by no means charged with a criminal offense, and an immigration decide granted him “withholding of removal” standing, which ensures that a person can legally dwell and work within the U.S. if there’s a security menace towards them of their native nation.
Per CNN, the decide discovered {that a} gang in El Salvador was “targeting [Abrego Garcia] and threatening him with death because of his family’s pupusa business.”
In March 2025, amid the Trump administration’s strict immigration rulings, Abrego Garcia was arrested by U.S. officers and instantly deported on a airplane headed for El Salvador.
A federal decide is giving the Trump administration two weeks handy over data on what it has accomplished to adjust to the Supreme Court’s order to facilitate the discharge of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to an El Salvadoran jail. pic.twitter.com/WBlJ4LZylx
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 16, 2025
Is Kilmar Abrego Garcia Married?
Yes, Abrego Garcia is married to his spouse, U.S. citizen Jennifer Vasquez Sura. Since her husband’s deportation, Sura has publicly advocated for his launch.
“Today is 34 days after his disappearance, and I stand before you filled with a spirit that refuses to bring down,” she mentioned in April 2025, per Rolling Stone. “I will not stop fighting until I see my husband alive. … Enough is enough. My family can’t be robbed of another day without seeing Kilmar. This administration has already taken so much from my children, from Kilmar’s mother, brother, sisters, and me.”
Abrego Garcia’s spouse: “I cannot cease combating till I see my husband alive. Kilmar, should you can hear me, keep robust. God hasn’t forgotten about you. Our youngsters are asking when you’ll come dwelling … they miss their dad a lot.” pic.twitter.com/2CQEorVt0o
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 15, 2025
Does Kilmar Abrego Garcia Have Children?
Yes, Abrego Garcia is a father of three youngsters, two of whom are from a earlier relationship of Sura’s and dwell with disabilities and particular wants; one little one has epilepsy and one other lives with autism, in response to a declaration Sura filed over Abrego Garcia’s authorized points. The spouses share one organic little one collectively.
While talking in public one month after her husband’s deportation, Sura spoke on to Abrego Garcia, saying, “Kilmar, if you can hear me, stay strong. God hasn’t forgotten about you. Our children are asking, ‘When will you come home?’ And I pray for the day I tell them the time and date that you will return.”
“As we continue through holy week, my heart aches for my husband,” she continued. “Who should have been here leading our Easter prayers — instead, I find myself pleading with the Trump administration and the Bukele administration to stop playing political games with the life of Kilmar.”
Where Is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?
As of June 6, 2025, Abrego Garcia is again in U.S. custody. He was returned from El Salvador to face federal prices associated to human smuggling. He was beforehand in a mega-prison referred to as CECOT (Center for Terrorism Confinement) in El Salvador.
Why Was Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deported?
Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025 in what the Trump administration later described as an “administrative error.” Although Abrego Garcia had been a authorized U.S. resident since 2011 and was protected by a 2019 courtroom order towards deportation, he was faraway from the nation after being accused, with out publicly disclosed proof, of alleged ties to the MS-13 gang.
The scenario escalated throughout a mid-April assembly between President Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. When requested by a reporter whether or not he would return Abrego Garcia to the United States, Bukele known as him a “terrorist” and claimed he wouldn’t “smuggle” him out of El Salvador. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed that stance, stating, “He is not coming back to our country.”
Abrego Garcia’s household and authorized workforce have strongly denied the gang allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. His authorized representatives, together with supporters, argued that the deportation violated each home and worldwide authorized requirements.
Despite the Trump administration’s refusal to repatriate him, the U.S. Supreme Court dominated that his removing was illegal. The Court rejected the administration’s declare that it had no authority to compel El Salvador to cooperate, and as an alternative ordered the White House to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return. Federal Judge Paula Xinis demanded updates on efforts to safe his return and signaled she was contemplating contempt proceedings towards the administration, citing a scarcity of transparency. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg additionally dominated that “probable cause exists” to carry the Trump administration in contempt for violating prior judicial orders, together with misuse of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen even traveled to El Salvador in an effort to fulfill with native officers and advocate for Abrego Garcia. “He was illegally abducted and needs to come home,” Van Hollen mentioned in a video posted to X.
Following mounting authorized and political strain, Abrego Garcia was lastly returned to the U.S. in early June 2025. However, upon arrival, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tennessee on two counts associated to human smuggling. The prices stem from a 2022 site visitors cease wherein he was allegedly discovered transporting undocumented migrants. He stays in federal custody awaiting trial.