Trump admin loses in court over 'one key issue' in case of wrongfully deported man: report

04 April

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with journalists onboard Air Force One en route to Miami, Florida, U.S., April 3, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura

A hearing in federal court went south for President Donald Trump's administration after a federal judge ordered the immediate return of a man the administration wrongfully deported.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reported Friday that the Trump administration Department of Justice (DOJ) now has until Monday to return Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia back to the United States, after the administration admitted that it made a mistake in deporting him to El Salvador last month. Garcia was included on one of three deportation flights to an El Salvadoran mega-prison, with the administration asserting that those aboard the flights were members of violent gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Alvarez reported that the judge repeatedly harped on the administration violating a court order from six years ago.

"A federal judge asked multiple questions on one key issue, and that was him being deported to El Salvador, even though an immigration judge in 2019 said that couldn't be the case," she said. "This is something we've talked about. It's called Withholding of Removal, meaning that he could not be sent back to El Salvador over concerns of persecution. He was removable, just not to El Salvador."

The administration maintained that the man, who is an El Salvadoran national who lived in Maryland, had ties to the MS-13 gang even though it has so far failed to substantiate that claim in court. Lawyers for the government also argued that even though it made a mistake in deporting Garcia, it was unable to return him back to the United States. But U.S. District judge Paula Xinis (appointed to the District of Maryland by former President Barack Obama) was reportedly not convinced, and ultimately ruled against the administration.

"[Xinis] took a recess, and it was in that recess that she ultimately came to her decision and came back out to the courtroom and noted the urgency of the case, again, because of concerns of persecution, the concerns of this man's safety in El Salvador." Alvarez reported. "She said she could not wait, that she would give an oral order, and would follow up with the written opinion. And we're hearing now from the lawyers, his wife also stepping up and also saying thank you to all those who have supported her earlier in the morning, saying that this, of course, has impacted her family and that she has missed him and has been unable to talk to him."

The administration has so far not said if it would appeal Xinis' ruling, though Alvarez said lawyers for the Trump DOJ said they stand by their allegations that the man was a member of MS-13. In addition to the Maryland man, the government has also had to return seven women and one man who were deported to El Salvador back to the United States.

Watch the video of Alvarez's report below, or by clicking this link.

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