Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 30-year-old Salvadoran living in Maryland, is currently detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and faces deportation to Uganda following his refusal to accept a plea deal in a human smuggling case.
His legal team argues that this deportation is retaliatory and punitive, as it comes after he declined to plead guilty in exchange for being sent to Costa Rica.
Abrego Garcia’s situation has drawn significant attention due to a complicated history of deportation. In March 2025, he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, violating a court order that cited credible threats to his safety. After his wife successfully sued for his return, he re-entered the U.S. in June 2025 but was soon charged with human smuggling, a case his attorneys claim is politically motivated.
Concerns have emerged regarding the U.S. government’s plans to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda. Although Uganda has agreed to accept deportees without criminal records or unaccompanied minors, his deportation is controversial due to the criminal charge against him. Critics in Uganda, including opposition figures, have raised questions about the lack of parliamentary oversight in this arrangement, suggesting it serves the political and economic interests of President Yoweri Museveni.
Abrego Garcia’s legal team is actively challenging the deportation order, insisting on a “reasonable fear interview” before any action is taken. They argue that sending him to Uganda, a country where he has no ties, violates legal protections and punishes him for contesting his prior deportation.
His case underscores the complexities and controversies surrounding U.S. immigration policies and international deportation agreements, highlighting broader issues within the immigration system.
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