A Maryland Family's Fight Against Wrongful Deportation

A Maryland man was deported to El Salvador by mistake. This was a huge error by the government. The man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, had been living in the U. S. legally with his family. He had a work permit and protection from deportation. But last month, he was arrested and sent to a Salvadoran mega-prison. This was a clear violation of his rights. A federal judge in Maryland stepped in and ordered the government to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U. S. The judge said keeping him in El Salvador was causing him harm. The judge also said the government had no right to arrest him in the first place. The government admitted it was a mistake, but they tried to argue that the judge couldn't order his return. They also claimed he was a member of the MS-13 gang, but his lawyers said this was false. The judge was not convinced by the government's arguments. She ordered them to return Abrego Garcia by a certain deadline. The government's lawyer asked for more time, but the judge rejected this request. The judge also questioned why Abrego Garcia was arrested in the first place, but the lawyer didn't have an answer. Abrego Garcia's wife spoke at a press conference. She said their family was broken by this mistake. She described her husband as a dedicated father and loving husband. The White House, however, painted a different picture. They claimed he was a gang member and a threat to the public. But his lawyers said there was no evidence to support this claim. They also pointed out that he had no criminal record. The judge was skeptical about the government's allegations. She said there was no evidence to support the claim that Abrego Garcia was a gang member. She also noted that the government had not followed proper legal procedures. Abrego Garcia was arrested in 2019, but the police never questioned him about gang membership again. An immigration judge had even granted him protection from deportation. The Trump administration has been deporting hundreds of alleged gang members to El Salvador. But many of these men do not have criminal records. Immigrant advocates say they were not given a chance to contest the allegations against them. Some of these men were targeted because of their tattoos. Abrego Garcia's family and lawyers are fighting for his return. They are also standing with other families who have been affected by similar mistakes.