Overview

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia, deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite legal protections, remains in detention as diplomatic efforts to secure his return face hurdles.
• Newly surfaced protective orders from 2020 and 2021 detail allegations of severe domestic abuse against Abrego Garcia, including claims he threatened to kill his wife and boasted of impunity.
• The Trump administration cites unverified MS-13 gang affiliations as justification for his deportation, despite a 2019 court ruling granting him protection from removal due to credible fear of persecution.
• The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal judge’s mandate to facilitate his return, but the administration argues it cannot ensure success in negotiations with Salvadoran authorities.
• The case has intensified debates over executive compliance with judicial authority, immigration enforcement practices, and the handling of domestic violence allegations.