Overview
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly removed to El Salvador in March despite a valid US stay permit and a court injunction barring his deportation
- He spent over three months in El Salvador’s CECOT prison where rights groups have repeatedly described conditions as inhumane
- In April the US Supreme Court ordered the administration to secure his return, overruling claims that his removal was solely under Salvadoran authority
- Upon arrival on June 6, he was immediately arrested in Tennessee on charges tied to a 2022 traffic stop and an alleged long-running migrant smuggling ring
- His case has reignited debate over President Trump’s deportation policies, including US payments to El Salvador to accept migrants labeled as serious criminals