Kilmar Abrego Garcia Rejects Costa Rica Offer
“The government immediately responded to Mr. Abrego’s release with outrage,” the brief stated. “Despite assurances from Costa Rica, within minutes of his release from pretrial custody, ICE informed counsel that the government intended to deport Mr. Abrego to Uganda.”
Abrego Garcia’s legal battle has been intertwined with former President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. In March, he was deported to El Salvador days earlier than he was eligible. The Supreme Court ruled that the administration must facilitate his return to the United States.
A Case Shaped by Political Controversy
By June, DHS brought him back, but he was soon detained on human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee.
Although he was never charged, he also had a series of domestic abuse complaints.
He pleaded not guilty to the smuggling charges where prosecutors accused him of transporting nine passengers under suspicious circumstances. DHS did not pursue the case until April when pressure mounted to bring him back to the U.S.
His attorneys argue that the charges are retaliatory. “This prosecution is vindictive,” the filing stated, pointing to the government’s sudden push to deport him to Uganda as proof.
