President Trump's "Border Tsar" Tom Homan said at a White House press conference on Monday that the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador last month was not a mistake.
The Trump administration claimed in court documents last month that Garcia, who was detained by immigration and customs law enforcement officers in March due to “administrative errors.” In 2019, Abrego Garcia, who illegally entered the United States, was awarded “With Withdrawal”, This prohibits immigration authorities from moving him to his native El Salvador, citing the risk of gang persecution.
"I don't accept the word 'mistake' by Abrego Garcia," Homan said. "There is a supervision, there is a withholding order. But the facts surrounding the withholding order have changed. He is now a terrorist and the gang he is worried about is no longer there because he is evacuated from El Salvador."
Homan claims Abrego Garcia is a "terrorist" which may be due to the government's decision to designate certain gangs, including the El Salvador gang MS-13, as terrorist groups. The Trump administration accused Abrego Garcia of being part of MS-13, but his lawyer strongly denied that he was a gang member and noted that he had no criminal record in the United States or any other country.
Abrego Garcia was arrested before receiving the protection order because he was seeking work outside of Home Depot, his lawyer said. He and three authorities said they were detained for being associated with the gang. Abrego Garcia Wearing a Chicago Bull hat and a hoodie with graphic "Hispanic Gang Culture" at the time, police Sources say Tell them that Abrego Garcia is an active member of MS-13. His legal team denies any MS-13 links.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said during a visit to the White House earlier this month that he had no intention of sending Abrego Garcia back to the United States, prompting Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the Salvador president's claim.
"I will tell you, the President of El Salvador told you in the Oval Office: El Salvador is not going to smuggle designated foreign terrorists back to the United States," Levitt said. "He is an El Salvador national. That's his homeland. That's where he belongs."
Earlier this month, Abrego Garcia was move From the largest security terrorist restriction center in El Salvador to low security facilities.
Last week, a federal judge temporarily suspended her orders, asking the Trump administration to provide latest information on efforts to promote Abrego Garcia's return.
Department of Justice calls for Maryland U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis To continue her instructions to provide testimony and documents in Abrego Garcia for 7 days, Abrego Garcia's lawyers made a sealed response. Sinis granted a stay time for the discovery process until 5 p.m. on April 30, when the parties reached an agreement.
Sinis had previously stated that the Trump administration showed “intentional and malicious refusal to comply with the obligation to discover.”