Overview

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite a 2019 court order protecting him from removal due to credible fear of persecution.
• The Trump administration invoked the state secrets privilege to block court-ordered discovery into its handling of the deportation, claiming national security concerns.
• Garcia's attorneys argue that the government has failed to produce evidence of any efforts to secure his release and assert that no genuine state secrets are at stake.
• The Supreme Court unanimously upheld a lower court ruling requiring the administration to facilitate Garcia's return, but the government has yet to comply.
• A May 16 hearing will address the administration's privilege claims and the ongoing dispute over compliance with judicial orders.