In a controversial legal battle, the Trump administration is under scrutiny following the mistaken deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national, who was erroneously sent back to El Salvador despite having legal protection in the United States.

The incident has sparked public outrage and raised questions about the enforcement of immigration policies. Garcia, who was residing in Maryland, was deported on March 12 after being wrongly informed that his immigration status had changed.

This occurred despite a 2019 ruling by a U.S. immigration judge that granted him protection from deportation due to fears of persecution by local gangs in El Salvador.

Garcia, who held a valid work permit from the Department of Homeland Security, was working as a sheet metal apprentice at the time of his arrest. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the Trump administration to facilitate Garcia’s return, citing the lack of legal justification for his deportation.

The administration has appealed the ruling, arguing that a judge cannot force the return of an individual from a foreign country because “he was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang,” Karoline Leavitt said at a press conference on April 1, 2025.

The Justice Department argues it has no legal power to orchestrate Garcia’s return, comparing the situation to complex international disputes or hostage negotiations. Meanwhile, the case has resulted in the “indefinite paid leave” of DOJ attorney Erez Reuveni, who acknowledged in court that Garcia’s deportation was an error.

Attorney General Pam Bondi underscored the duty of DOJ lawyers to fiercely defend U.S. interests, implying Reuveni’s suspension stemmed from his failure to uphold this standard with vigor.

The White House has branded Garcia a member of the notorious MS-13 gang and involved in human trafficking, a charge his legal team strongly refutes, pointing to an absence of solid proof.

Garcia’s wife, a U.S. citizen, has tirelessly championed his return, emphasizing his positive role in their Maryland community and their family’s escape from gang-related dangers in El Salvador back in 2011.