A federal judge has expressed growing frustration with the Department of Justice after government lawyers once again sought to postpone the deportation of Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego García, whose case has become a flashpoint in the ongoing immigration debate.
The judge, overseeing proceedings in Maryland, made it clear that the government’s repeated delays were unacceptable, ordering both sides to reconvene in court by the end of the week. In a strongly worded directive, the judge instructed the DOJ to produce a government witness with direct knowledge of Abrego García’s removal process to testify under oath regarding the department’s current plan, including reports that Eswatini had been floated as a potential destination for deportation.
Abrego García, who entered the U.S. illegally and has faced deportation orders for years, remains in federal custody as the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security continue to debate logistical and diplomatic challenges surrounding his removal. The administration has cited ongoing shutdown-related disruptions and international coordination issues as reasons for the delays.
However, the court pushed back against what it called “procedural stalling,” signaling that judicial patience has worn thin. The judge emphasized that the government cannot use administrative challenges or political complications as excuses to ignore due process and court orders.
This latest ruling intensifies scrutiny on how the federal government is managing high-profile immigration cases during the shutdown, as critics accuse officials of using bureaucratic gridlock to avoid politically sensitive removals.
With the new court date set, all eyes are now on whether the Justice Department will comply with the order and provide a transparent account of its handling of Abrego García’s case—a case that now stands as a test of both the administration’s immigration policies and the judiciary’s resolve to enforce accountability.