The administration cited El Salvador President Naive Bukere’s remarks at the White House on April 14th, excluding the man’s return.
The Trump administration told a federal judge on Monday that he had no power to bring back Kilmer Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant who was illegally deported to his home country of El Salvador, as he was already under foreign control.
Mazzarra quoted El Salvador President Naive Buquere’s remarks at the White House on April 14th.
“I hope that I am not proposing to smuggle terrorists into the United States,” Bukel told reporters, as he said in a court filing. “How can I smuggle terrorists into the US? Of course I’m not going to do that. The question is ridiculous.”
Trump administration officials said it would be up to El Salvador to hand over their citizens, Abrego Garcia, to US officials, after the Supreme Court ruling directed the US government to promote his return.
The Epoch Times has contacted Abrego Garcia’s attorneys for comment and did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Abrego Garcia, from El Salvador, was arrested in the US in March and deported to El Salvador in March after U.S. authorities described him as his “prominent role” in the MS-13 gang, a foreign terrorist organization designated by the US.
The immigration judge previously determined that there was strong evidence that the man was a member of MS-13, but another judge later issued withholding for removal, preventing Abrego Garcia from being deported over concerns that it was not safe in El Salvador due to gang violence.
This includes requesting the release of Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, providing him with air transport and sending him to accompany him upon release so that he can safely reach the aircraft that will return him to the United States, the lawyer said.
Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.