Kilmar Abrego Garcia Cannot Be Detained Again By ICE
There is so much terrible news related to the too aggressive anti-immigrant agenda that Donald Trump has pushed that sometimes stories that once held national attention are forgotten. This is one update we are happy to share and still happy to hear.
Many of you remember the story of Kilmar Abrego Garciathe El Salvadorian man who was illegally deported back to a mega-prison in his home country against an immigration judge's 2019 ruling that his possible removal should be stayed. Abrego Garcia argued that there was a high potential for gang violence against him if he were to return to El Salvador, and the judge agreed and granted him residency in the United States while he waited for asylum because he had never been arrested or charged with a crime during his time here.
It should come as no surprise that the Trump administration subsequently vilified Mr. Abrego Garcia by labeling him a “ranking MS-13 gang member,” despite there being no evidence for such claims.
Abrego Garcia was finally freed and returned to his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, back in December and has been living in Maryland under strict court orders to stay at his home unless he goes to work, church or seeks medical attention.
According to new reporting by CNNhas received more good news in connection with his case. A federal judge, US District Judge Paula Xinis, has ruled that ICE can no longer detain him for deportation because the administration has fought ferociously to send Mr. Abrego Garcia to an African country since Central America is not an option.
“The court readily concludes that there is no 'good reason to believe' that removal is likely in the reasonably foreseeable future,” she wrote in the 10-page decision. Federal officials, Xinis continued, “have done nothing to demonstrate that Abrego Garcia's continued detention in ICE custody is consistent with due process.”
Abrego Garcia has consistently said that if he is going to be deported, he would like to go to Costa Rica, where government officials have communicated that they are happy to grant him citizenship. However, the Trump administration has no desire to support that, apparently because punishment is the primary goal, not “removing dangerous criminals” from the American population.
“In their decision today, they recognized that if the government was truly trying to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia from the United States, they would have sent him to Costa Rica long before today,” said Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, an attorney for Abrego Garcia. “Instead, they balk at trying to deport him to Africa – why? It's clear that the only reason is to punish him for having the courage to stand up for his rights.”
That must be a sharp little pill for Trump to swallow, word to Alanis Morrisette.
