By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and BEN FINLEY
GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — The U.S. authorities would provoke deportation proceedings in opposition to Kilmar Abrego Garcia if he’s launched from jail earlier than he stands trial on human smuggling costs in Tennessee, a Justice Division lawyer instructed a federal choose in Maryland on Monday.
The disclosure by U.S. lawyer Jonathan Guynn contradicts statements by spokespeople for the Justice Department and the White House, who mentioned final month that Abrego Garcia would stand trial and presumably spend time in an American jail earlier than the federal government strikes to deport him.
Guynn made the revelation throughout a federal court docket listening to in Maryland, the place Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have expressed issues that he could be denied due course of as soon as extra by the Trump administration earlier than it possible tries to expel him once more from the U.S.
Guynn mentioned that U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement would detain Abrego Garcia as soon as he’s launched from jail in Tennessee and ship him to a “third nation” that isn’t his native El Salvador. Nonetheless, Guynn mentioned he didn’t know which nation that may be.
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Jennifer Vasquez Sura, heart, the spouse of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, arrives on the U.S. District Court docket in Greenbelt, Md., Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Picture/Mark Schiefelbein)
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Jennifer Vasquez Sura, heart, the spouse of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, arrives on the U.S. District Court docket in Greenbelt, Md., Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Picture/Mark Schiefelbein)
Abrego Garcia grew to become a flashpoint over President Donald Trump’s immigration insurance policies when he was deported in March to a infamous megaprison in his native El Salvador. The Trump administration violated a U.S. immigration choose’s order in 2019 that shielded Abrego Garcia from deportation to El Salvador as a result of he possible confronted persecution there by native gangs that terrorized his household.
Dealing with growing stress and a Supreme Court docket order, the Trump administration returned Abrego Garcia to america final month to face federal human smuggling costs. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have characterised the case as “preposterous” and an try and justify his misguided deportation.
A federal choose in Nashville was getting ready to launch Abrego Garcia to await trial. However she agreed final week to maintain Abrego Garcia behind bars on the request of his personal attorneys. That they had raised issues the U.S. would attempt to instantly deport him, whereas citing what they are saying have been “contradictory statements” by the Trump administration.
For instance, Guynn had instructed U.S. District Decide Paula Xinis in Maryland on June 26 that the U.S. authorities deliberate to deport Abrego Garcia to a “third nation” that isn’t El Salvador. However he mentioned there was no timeline for the deportation plans.
Later that day, DOJ spokesperson Chad Gilmartin instructed The Related Press that the Justice Division intends to attempt Abrego Garcia on the smuggling costs earlier than it strikes to deport him.
White Home spokesperson Abigail Jackson posted on X that day that Abrego Garcia “will face the complete power of the American justice system — together with serving time in American jail for the crimes he’s dedicated.”
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have requested Xinis to order the federal government to take Abrego Garcia to Maryland upon launch from jail in Tennessee, an association that may stop his deportation earlier than trial. Abrego Garcia lived in Maryland exterior of Washington for greater than a decade, working building and elevating a household along with his American spouse.
Xinis continues to be contemplating his attorneys’ request to ship him to Maryland if he’s launched. In the meantime, Xinis dominated Monday that the lawsuit in opposition to the Trump administration over Abrego Garcia’s mistaken deportation can proceed.
Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia.
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