The Trump administration plans a migrant deportation to Africa for a Salvadoran man, but a federal judge is blocking the move, questioning its impact on his pending criminal case.
Judge Questions Friday Deportation Plan
A Department of Justice lawyer, Drew Ensign, told a federal judge on Monday that the administration would deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia on Friday. “I have been told that if there was no prohibition, we would remove him on Friday,” Ensign stated in court.
Judge Paula Xinis, who has an injunction in place that blocks the deportation, expressed deep skepticism about the plan. She questioned how the criminal case against Abrego Garcia in Tennessee could proceed, stating, “I don’t believe a criminal case can go forward if there’s no defendant.“
Concerns Over DOJ Vindictive Prosecution Migrant Case
An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for next week in Tennessee to determine if the criminal charges were a form of DOJ vindictive prosecution migrant response after Abrego Garcia was erroneously deported earlier this year. Judge Xinis questioned the lack of coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and the DOJ.
“It just doesn’t pass the sniff test that there hasn’t been some coordination,” Xinis said, noting the upcoming hearing. She questioned the government’s urgency, asking, “Any insight you can shed on why we’re continuing this hearing when you could deport him to a third country tomorrow?“
Proposed Migrant Deportation to Africa Sparks Debate
The proposed Kilmar Abrego Garcia deportation to Liberia marks the fourth African nation suggested by the administration. The other countries previously identified were Uganda, Ghana, and Eswatini.
Judge Xinis criticized the government’s repeated efforts to find a destination. “Now we’re about to burn significant resources … to now talk about a fourth African country,” she remarked during the hearing.
Defense Proposes Costa Rica as Alternative
Abrego Garcia’s defense attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, expressed concern his client could be re-deported to El Salvador from Liberia. Costa Rica is the only country that has explicitly agreed to grant Abrego Garcia asylum and not return him to El Salvador.
Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty to charges of transporting illegal migrants. His attorneys previously accused the government of offering deportation to Costa Rica in exchange for a guilty plea.
DOJ Demands Accountability in Migrant Case
A Department of Justice spokesperson maintained the agency’s position on the case. “This defendant can plead guilty and accept responsibility or stand trial before a jury,” the spokesperson said.
The DOJ, which has previously stated Abrego Garcia presents a “clear danger,” insisted on legal consequences. “Either way, we will hold Abrego Garcia accountable and protect the American people,” the spokesperson concluded.
