U.S. Deportation Error Leaves Salvadoran Man Detained in Notorious Prison

Despite a court ruling blocking his removal, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador and remains in a high-security prison as legal and human rights disputes escalate.

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old resident of Maryland, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, despite a court order prohibiting his removal.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) admitted the deportation was an administrative error but has opposed his return, citing unproven gang affiliations.
• Garcia is currently detained in El Salvador's CECOT prison, a facility criticized internationally for its harsh conditions and alleged human rights abuses.
• His attorneys argue Garcia fled El Salvador at age 16 to escape gang violence, has no criminal ties, and is married to a U.S. citizen with children.
• The case has intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration's immigration policies, including the designation of Latin American gangs as terrorist organizations and deportation practices.

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