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A federal judge in Maryland accused government lawyers on Friday of hearing efforts to return Salvadoran national and Maryland resident Kilmer Abrego Garcia from an El Salvador prison.
Abrego Garcia, 29, was deported to El Salvador last month for being a suspect in the MS-13 gang. However, his lawyers argue that he has no connection to violent gangs.
US District Judge Paula Sinis questioned Garcia’s location after the Supreme Court upheld Sinis’ order, Dozi’s Attorney General questioned the order that federal officials must coordinate their return to Maryland.
Xinis asked where Abrego Garcia was and under “Whose authority”, who answered “I have no information.”
Maryland immigrants have been mistakenly deported to El Salvador, and must return to Supreme Court rules
Abrego Garcia, 29, was deported to El Salvador’s MegaPrison last month as he is allegedly a member of the MS-13 gang. However, his lawyers argue that he has no connection with the gang. (Murray Osorio PLLC via AP)
“I don’t have that knowledge so I can’t pass that information on it to the court,” Ensign said. “They have not provided that confirmation prior to this hearing.”
The judge was not satisfied with the government’s answer. “I’m not seeking state secrets. I’m asking where one man is,” replied Sinis. “The government was forbidden from sending him to El Salvador, but now they ask a very simple question: “Where is he?”
After Half Sign said he didn’t have any information on hand again, Xinis said, “It’s very troublesome.”
In an order Thursday, the Supreme Court said: “The United States recognizes that Abrego Garcia is subject to a withholding order banning removal to El Salvador and therefore that removal to El Salvador is illegal.”
DOJ asks to dismiss Virginia lawsuit Salvadoran accused MS-13 leaders who are due to be deported
The High Court said that Sinis’ order “appropriates” the release of Abrego Garcia from custody in El Salvador and appropriately requires the government to “promote” the release of Abrego Garcia from custody in El Salvador and ensure that his case is processed if he has not been improperly sent to El Salvador.
During a hearing on Friday, it was made clear that the government intends to comply with the Supreme Court order. When asked what had been done so far to promote Abrego Garcia’s return, Ensign said he was “unknown.”
“That means they’re not doing anything,” Xinis replied.
Jennifer Vasquez Sula, wife of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, Maryland, will speak at a press conference at Casa’s Multicultural Center in Hyattville, Maryland on Friday, April 4, 2025 (AP Photo/Josele Is Magana)
Xinis and Ensign went back and forth after reading the orders of the High Court. Ensign said he understood the order that required the government to “have to hear what the enforcement department is saying in a simple way.”
“We read the Supreme Court orders differently,” Ensign said. “It paid tribute to the administrative department.”
Instead, Xinis said her reading is to take all the necessary steps for the government to promote profits as quickly as possible.
“I listen to you and I disagree,” replied Xinis.
The MS-13 leader has been accused of staying at Patel’s FBI and remaining in custody for now.
Xinis said that as cases continued “from people with direct knowledge” would be issued a request for daily updates and delineating the request.
“My message, what’s worth it is, if you can do it, then do it tomorrow. I don’t know why I can’t do it,” Xinis said.
Shosign pointed out that although he believed the order was “unrealistic”, he emphasized that the government would comply with the Supreme Court order.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked to consider the issue during a briefing on Friday in light of the El Salvador president visiting the White House next week.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked to consider the issue during a briefing on Friday in light of the El Salvador president visiting the White House next week.
“The Supreme Court made it very clear that last night’s decision was the responsibility of the administration to promote return.
“The district judge has made it clear to the government that she will not continue the game while the man’s lives are at risk,” Simon Sandoval Moshenberg, Abrego Garcia’s lawyer, told Fox News Digital. “They need to bring Kilmer Abrego Garcia home and up until then they need to provide meaningful status updates that will indicate their progress in doing so.”
Abrego Garcia was arrested in Baltimore on March 12 after shifting as a sheet metal apprentice. The complaint says he picked up his now five-year-old son, who has autism and other disabilities, from his grandmother’s home before his arrest.
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Court documents show Abrego Garcia initially fled El Salvador to escape gang violence. Since 2006, gang members “threatened, attacked, threatened and threatened to lure him to kill him in order to force his parents to succumb to the increasing demands of coercion.”
He eventually illegally entered the United States in 2011 and began living in Maryland with his brother, a US citizen.
Oudrey Conklin of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Haley Chi-Sing is a political writer for Fox News Digital. You can contact her at X at @haleychising.
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