Trump Administration Persists in Deportation Efforts for Kilmar Abrego Garcia to African Nations
The Trump administration and ICE are actively pursuing the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to African nations, facing resistance from his attorneys and several countries.
Subscribe to unlock this story
We really don't like cutting you off, but you've reached your monthly limit. At just $5/month, subscriptions are how we keep this project going. Start your free 7-day trial today!
Get StartedHave an account? Sign in
Overview
- The Trump administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are actively attempting to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to African nations, specifically Eswatini or Ghana.
- These deportation efforts persist despite significant resistance from Abrego Garcia's attorneys, who accuse the administration of using the immigration system to punish him.
- Several African countries, including Ghana and Eswatini, have refused to accept Abrego Garcia, despite pressure from Trump administration officials to facilitate the deportation.
- A US judge has criticized the administration for failing to provide a witness to testify about the ongoing deportation efforts, highlighting procedural concerns.
- Abrego Garcia was previously mistakenly deported to El Salvador, further complicating the ongoing and persistent efforts by ICE to send him to an African nation.
Report issue
Read both sides in 5 minutes each day
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by portraying the Trump administration as relentlessly pursuing the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, possibly out of retaliation for a past error and legal challenge. They emphasize the administration's persistence despite international rejections and judicial skepticism, highlighting claims of punitive actions and a "relentless public relations campaign" against Garcia.
"The case has come to represent the bitter partisan struggle over the President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration policy and mass deportation agenda."
Chicago TribuneArticles (3)
FAQ
The Trump administration's ICE is pursuing deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to African nations despite Garcia being originally from El Salvador. This unusual move seems to be part of the administration's efforts to deport him, possibly due to complications from his prior illegal deportation to El Salvador and alleged gang affiliations, though the exact rationale for targeting African countries is unclear and contested by his attorneys and some governments.
Abrego Garcia's attorneys have strongly resisted the deportation efforts, accusing the administration of using the immigration system to punish him. Additionally, several African countries, including Ghana and Eswatini, have refused to accept Garcia despite pressure from the Trump administration. A US judge also criticized the administration for procedural failures, notably the absence of a witness to testify about the deportation attempts.
In March 2025, Abrego Garcia was illegally deported to El Salvador by the US government, an action the administration called “an administrative error.” At that time, he had never been charged or convicted of any crime and was imprisoned without trial in a Salvadoran detention center. This deportation was highly controversial and complicated by accusations made by the US of Garcia's alleged gang ties, which he denies.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a Salvadoran immigrant who illegally entered the US as a teenager to escape gang threats. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him withholding of removal status due to the risk of violence if returned to El Salvador, allowing him to live and work legally in the US. At the time of his illegal deportation, he lived in Maryland with his US citizen wife and children, and complied with ICE check-ins.
The Trump administration accused Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, a US-designated terrorist organization, based on a 2019 immigration court bail proceeding determination. The administration maintained that the deportation attempts were justified because of his alleged illegal immigrant status and gang affiliation, claims that Garcia denies.
History
- This story does not have any previous versions.