Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Apr 11: In a rare judicial rebuke, a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to take “all available steps” to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident mistakenly deported to El Salvador despite a court order blocking his removal.

The directive, issued late Thursday by US District Judge Paul Xinis of Maryland, came hours after the Supreme Court asked the Justice Department to begin the process of securing Abrego Garcia’s release and return, while also seeking clarification on the lower court's authority.

Abrego Garcia, 29, was detained on March 12 by immigration agents and deported three days later to El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison, notorious for harsh conditions. The government claimed he was linked to the MS-13 gang but offered no evidence.

Judge Xinis had ruled on April 4 that the deportation was “wholly illegal,” and reiterated Thursday night that the administration must act urgently. “The government must facilitate his return as soon as possible,” she wrote, demanding details on his whereabouts, custody status, and steps taken to bring him back.

The Justice Department, while admitting the deportation was an “administrative error,” argued it lacks the authority to return him from a foreign country. However, the court rejected this stance, denying the government’s request to delay Friday’s hearing.

Abrego Garcia’s attorneys slammed the administration’s inaction, saying, “The government continues to delay, obfuscate, and flout court orders, while a man’s life and safety is at risk.” They described the request for more time as “another stunning display of arrogance and cruelty.”