Overview

• Kilmar Abrego García, protected by a 2019 court order, was deported to an El Salvadoran prison in March 2025 due to what the Trump administration calls an 'administrative error.'
• The Supreme Court upheld a lower court's directive to 'facilitate' García's return but left ambiguity around the term 'effectuate,' limiting judicial oversight over executive foreign affairs.
• Judge Paula Xinis has mandated daily sworn declarations from the Trump administration detailing García's location and steps taken to secure his return, though updates remain incomplete and vague.
• The Trump administration argues that federal courts lack authority to compel specific foreign policy actions, citing constitutional separation of powers and executive authority in diplomacy.
• El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele reportedly refuses to release García, complicating U.S. efforts, while critics claim the administration is exploiting judicial deference to avoid full compliance.