Kilmar Ábrego García, the Salvadoran man who was mistakenly deported in March 2025 despite a court order preventing his removal, returned to the United States this Friday, where he will now face federal criminal charges for alleged involvement in a human smuggling ring for profit.
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Ábrego, 29, had been living in Maryland since 2011 and had been granted protection against deportation in 2019. However, on March 15, 2025, he was arrested by ICE agents and deported to El Salvador, disregarding a court order that had blocked his removal to that country. The action sparked protests and complaints from civil organizations, lawyers, and state officials.
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In El Salvador, Ábrego was imprisoned without trial at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a maximum-security prison, accused without evidence of ties to gangs. His wife, Jennifer Vásquez Sura, along with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, demanded his immediate release and return to the United States.
The controversy even reached the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, who during a visit to the White House as an ally of Trump refused to return Abrego.
A return with charges
Although his deportation was recognized as illegal by the courts, the federal government maintains that Ábrego must be held accountable for his actions. “The fact that his departure from the country was improper does not exempt him from the crimes he is now accused of,” stated a spokesperson for the Department of Justice.
Ábrego’s lawyers claim that the criminal process is a retaliation. “He was deported without legal authority, and now they are trying to justify it by accusing him criminally. It is a criminalization of his own defense,” said his lawyer Laura Martínez.
Ábrego is under federal custody and his first appearance is scheduled for next week before a federal court in Maryland.
The case has reignited the debate about the migration policies promoted during the Trump administration, characterized by accelerating deportations without respecting due process. In many cases, these policies led to wrongful expulsions and violations of fundamental rights.