Trump Administration Resists Court Orders to Repatriate Wrongfully Deported Salvadoran National

Legal and diplomatic tensions escalate as the U.S. government disputes its obligations to secure Kilmar Abrego García's return following his wrongful deportation to El Salvador.

• 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.

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