A Salvadoran man previously deported from Maryland has been brought back to the United States to face charges linked to a long-running human smuggling operation. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been living in the U.S. under legal protections granted in 2019, was removed to El Salvador in March 2025 despite a standing court order preventing his deportation.
Federal officials later acknowledged the removal was a procedural error. Upon arrival in El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was held at the country’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center. Following a series of legal appeals and a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, he was ordered returned to American soil.
Now back in custody, Abrego Garcia has been indicted for allegedly coordinating part of a human trafficking network responsible for bringing undocumented migrants from Central America through Mexico and into Texas, with Maryland among the destinations. Authorities allege he played a key role in facilitating illegal transport and housing for these migrants over the past decade.
The case has sparked national discussion about immigration enforcement errors, due process rights, and how such failures can impact individuals facing serious allegations. The proceedings are ongoing, with Abrego Garcia now awaiting trial in federal court.