Additional Coverage:
- Bondi ‘grotesquely’ claims Abrego Garcia’s wife and disabled child are ‘safer because he is gone’ (irishstar.com)
Maryland Man Wrongfully Deported, AG Bondi Claims Increased Safety
Amid an ongoing legal battle over the wrongful deportation of a Maryland man to a high-security prison in El Salvador, Attorney General Pam Bondi has stated that the country, along with the man’s wife and child, are “safer now that he’s gone.” Bondi, who has repeatedly and without evidence claimed Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, doubled down on this assertion during a recent appearance on Fox News. She stated that Garcia’s wife and child are safer “because they are out of our country and sitting in El Salvador where he belongs.”
These comments follow similar statements Bondi made during a recent Oval Office meeting with Presidents Trump and Bukele of El Salvador. She alleged that two immigration court judges found Abrego Garcia to be an MS-13 member, a claim based on a 2019 tip from a confidential informant alleging Garcia’s affiliation with a New York chapter of the gang.
Notably, Abrego Garcia has never lived in New York. Furthermore, he has never been charged with, nor convicted of, any crime and held protected legal status at the time of his deportation.
The Trump administration has admitted in court filings that the deportation was an “administrative error” but has refused to facilitate his return, despite a federal court order, upheld by the Supreme Court, mandating they do so.
The presiding district judge has ordered administration officials to provide evidence and sworn testimony detailing the steps they have taken to comply with the court order. President Trump, however, continues to assert, without evidence, that Abrego Garcia is a violent gang member. The administration claims it lacks the authority to repatriate him, suggesting it is El Salvador’s decision.
President Bukele echoed this sentiment, questioning how he could “smuggle a terrorist into the United States.” Bondi stated the U.S. would provide transportation if Bukele agreed to return Garcia, but insisted that Bukele refused, effectively ending the matter. She added that even if Garcia were returned, he would be immediately deported again.
Some lawmakers have labeled the administration’s defiance of court orders a “constitutional crisis.” Representatives Garcia and Frost have requested a congressional delegation to travel to El Salvador to investigate Abrego Garcia’s situation. If denied, some Democrats plan to travel independently.
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen recently met with El Salvador’s vice president to advocate for Garcia’s release. The vice president stated El Salvador could not return Garcia and refused Van Hollen’s request to visit him in prison. Van Hollen questioned why El Salvador continues to imprison a man without evidence of any crime, urging his release.
Court filings reveal a contentious back-and-forth, with the administration repeatedly refusing to disclose its plans regarding Garcia’s repatriation. While admitting the deportation was a mistake, the administration argues their assessment of Garcia’s gang affiliation negates his legal protections.
Since March, El Salvador has accepted over 200 Venezuelan immigrants, accused by the Trump administration of gang activity and violent crimes, and placed them in the same maximum-security prison as Garcia. This action is part of President Bukele’s crackdown on gangs, which has led to the imprisonment of 84,000 individuals and increased his domestic popularity. Human rights groups have raised concerns about potential human rights abuses within these prisons, allegations which Salvadoran officials deny.