Trump administration admits ICE sent man in US legally to El Salvador prison

Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News on Apr 1, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A Maryland man with legal status in the United States was accidentally deported to El Salvador, President Donald Trump’s administration admitted Monday.

Kilmer Armando Abrego-Garcia was on board one of three flights to El Salvador on March 15 and jailed in the nation’s notorious CECOT prison, ABC News reported.

An immigration judge had allowed Abrego-Garcia to remain in the U.S. after he entered in 2019, according to federal court documents. He was living in Maryland with his wife and 5-year-old son, both of whom are U.S. citizens.

The feds claimed Abrego-Garcia was a member of MS-13, the notorious street gang targeted by immigration authorities. That claim was based on an informant’s statements in 2019.

Abrego-Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen, “failed to present evidence” to counter that claim, ICE said. Unlike in criminal court, immigration court does not work under the principle of “innocent until proven guilty.”

After more than five years in the United States, ICE agents arrested Abrego-Garcia on March 12, telling him his immigration status had changed. Three days later, he was on a flight to El Salvador.

Abrego-Garcia’s family sued in federal court to overturn his deportation. Federal agents argued the court had no jurisdiction because Abrego-Garcia was already detained in El Salvador. Regardless of the American court’s ruling, it is unclear if Abrego-Garcia will be released.

CECOT, the prison where he’s being held, was built three years ago to house thousands of accused gang members. Abrego-Garcia’s family said it feared he could be killed while behind bars in El Salvador; civil rights groups said 261 people died in Salvadoran prisons from 2022 to 2024.

_____