A federal judge in Maryland is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in the ongoing deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite a 2019 court order blocking his removal to that country due to fears of persecution. The Trump administration has since sought to deport him to Liberia, a third country where he has no prior connection, prompting a new legal battle over his fate.
Core Developments
The hearing before U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis will determine whether the administration can proceed with deporting Abrego Garcia to Liberia, following the government’s request to dissolve her prior order blocking his removal. Abrego Garcia’s legal team is expected to argue against the deportation, asserting that Liberia is not a safe destination and that Costa Rica has offered him refugee status or residency.
Abrego Garcia was initially deported to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison in March 2025, despite a 2019 judge’s order barring his removal to that country. The administration claimed he was a member of the gang MS-13, a charge he denies. After the Supreme Court upheld a ruling for his return, he was brought back to the U.S. in June 2025 to face human smuggling charges, which were later dismissed in May after a judge found the government’s investigation was tainted by a "vindictive motive."
Legal and Policy Context
The Trump administration has continued to pursue Abrego Garcia’s deportation to a third country, naming Liberia, Eswatini, and Uganda as potential destinations. In court filings, government lawyers argued that Liberia’s government has agreed to accept him and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could arrange a charter flight within days. Liberia has accepted non-native deportees from the U.S. since August 2025, though interviews conducted by CBS News in Liberia described deportees as being in legal limbo, unable to return to the U.S. where many have families and fearful of persecution in their homelands.
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have designated Costa Rica as his preferred country of removal, and officials there have indicated willingness to grant him refugee status or residency. In a July court filing, his lawyers argued that the government’s push to deport him to Liberia is "punitive" and retaliatory, asserting that it violates his constitutional rights. They contend that Costa Rica’s offer provides a viable alternative that addresses his safety concerns.
Human Impact and Policy Implications
The case highlights broader debates over the U.S. government’s use of third-country deportations, particularly to nations with which deportees have no prior connection. Reports from Liberia describe deportees struggling with statelessness, unable to integrate into local communities or return to their countries of origin. Abrego Garcia’s situation underscores the legal and humanitarian challenges faced by individuals caught in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement policies.
The hearing on Tuesday will focus on whether Judge Xinis will maintain her existing order blocking Abrego Garcia’s deportation or allow the government to proceed with removal to Liberia. The outcome could set a precedent for future cases involving third-country deportations and the rights of individuals facing removal to unfamiliar or unsafe destinations.