Abrego Garcia faces detention again

The lawyer for Kilmar Abrego Garcia says he expects renewed detention by ICE as a deportation plan hangs over him.

Abrego Garcia faces potential detention by ICE again

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was deported to an El Salvadoran prison and later allowed to return to the United States, is again expected to face detention by immigration authorities after his release from Tennessee custody. He was told to report to an ICE detention center in Baltimore on Monday, according to his attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg. Abrego Garcia remains under GPS monitoring by the U.S. Marshals Service as authorities weigh next steps. The case has already drawn attention for the way it intertwines criminal proceedings and immigration policy.

Lawyers say immigration officials have signaled a plan to deport him to Uganda after he rejected a plea deal that would have sent him to Costa Rica in exchange for pleading guilty to smuggling charges. They argue the move could be a coercive tactic to secure a guilty plea and raise questions about the legality of sending him to a third country or back to El Salvador. The family and their legal team fear the destination could determine not only his fate but also the treatment he would face while abroad.

The situation exposes how immigration enforcement can hinge on high-stakes moves that cross borders and agencies. Using a foreign destination as leverage stretches the expectations of due process and creates a fog of uncertainty for defendants and their counsel. It also highlights gaps between policy statements and what happens in practice when a person navigates release, detention and potential deportation.

If pursued, this path could set a controversial precedent for handling cases that involve multiple countries and shifting plea incentives. Critics say it risks turning deportation into a political tool rather than a carefully calibrated legal remedy, with real consequences for families, communities and the legitimacy of the system.

Highlights

The case tests the line between enforcement and due process.