Wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia returning to U.S. to face criminal charges
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U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) meets with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia (L) at an undisclosed location on April 17, 2025 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Photo by Sen. Van Hollen's Office via Getty Images
Kilmar Abrego Garcia is on his way back to the U.S. to face criminal charges, according to a newly unsealed indictment.
The big picture: Abrego Garcia, whose deportation to El Salvador has been a flashpoint in President Trump's immigration agenda, has been charged with smuggling undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
- The indictment alleged that Abrego Garcia, who lives in Maryland, made more than 100 trips transporting undocumented immigrants between Texas and Maryland, among other states.
- According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, citing co-conspirators' testimony, Abrego Garcia also allegedly abused undocumented immigrant women and solicited nude photographs and videos from a minor.
The latest: Trump told NBC News' Kristen Welker on Saturday it wasn't his decision to bring Abrego Garcia back.
- "Department of Justice decided to do it that way, and that's fine," the president said.
- He added, "it should be a very easy case."
What they're saying: "These facts demonstrate Abrego Garcia is a danger to our community," Bondi said during a press conference
- If convicted, Abrego Garcia will be prosecuted and sentenced, then returned to El Salvador after completion of his sentence, Bondi added.
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md), who visited Abrego Garcia, said in a statement that "this is not about the man, it's about his constitutional rights."
- "The Administration will now have to make its case in the court of law, as it should have all along," he said.
- In a statement, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem called Abrego Garcia "a known MS13 gang member, human trafficker, and serial domestic abuser."
Context: Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian national who entered the U.S. illegally, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 12 and was soon deported to El Salvador by mistake, Justice Department said in a court filing.
- On April 10, the Supreme Court ruled the administration must "facilitate" the release of Abrego Garcia. But the court stopped short of ordering it to "effectuate" his return to the U.S., and kicked the case back to the lower court.
- Since then, the Trump administration has asked the Salvadorian government about facilitating because Garcia's return, but El Salvador declined to do so.
What we are watching: A federal judge recently granted a motion filed by Abrego Garcia's team to sanction against the Trump administration if it doesn't provide discovery evidence by June 11.
- In a separate case, District Judge Paula Xinis also granted a request from more than a dozens news organizations to unseal a batch of documents and a court hearing transcript.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details and statements throughout.
