Federal Judge blocks deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the US government from deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia to another country, days after immigration officers took him into custody at a mandatory check-in.

The move comes amid ongoing legal battles following his mistaken deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador in March, and current human trafficking charges against him.

US authorities told Abrego Garcia he could be deported to Uganda after he refused a plea deal, prompting his lawyers to file a new federal lawsuit challenging both his detention and potential removal "to Uganda or any other country" until he receives a trial.

At Tuesday’s hearing, US District Judge Paula Xinis barred the government from deporting him, citing concerns over his safety and the lack of connections in Uganda.
"It is in my view plain that you can't do that," Judge Xinis said. "You can't condition the reliquishment of constitutional rights in that regard."
"You'd never get a knowing and voluntary guilty plea out of anyone if you do that," she added.

Two existing court orders prevent the government from deporting Abrego Garcia from the continental US until Wednesday afternoon.

Government attorney Drew Ensign told the judge that "removal is not imminent" and noted that "third country removal takes some time." Judge Xinis emphasized that previous orders barred the Trump administration from acting against him while in effect.

Currently, ICE is holding Mr Abrego Garcia at a facility in Virginia. His attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, asked the court to ensure his client remains within 200 miles of the court for swift access to legal proceedings.

Judge Xinis instructed both sides to submit briefs this week ahead of a potential hearing.

On Monday, Abrego Garcia was taken into custody after attending a mandatory immigration meeting in Baltimore. Before entering, he addressed a crowd of supporters:
"Brothers and sisters, my name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia," he said. "And I always want you to remember that today, I can say with pride, that I am free and have been reunited with my family."

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed his arrest, saying ICE "are processing him for deportation," while the Department of Homeland Security later tweeted he would be "processed for removal to Uganda."

The Trump administration has emphasized criminal allegations against him, posting an image linking him to MS-13 and accusing him of human trafficking and domestic abuse.

Abrego Garcia’s legal team contends the government is trying to "coerce" him into a guilty plea by threatening deportation "halfway across the world."
"The only reason that they've chosen to take him into detention is to punish him, to punish him for exercising his constitutional rights," Mr Sandoval-Moshenberg told reporters.

The case traces back to March, when Mr Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and detained at the notorious Cecot prison.

After the government acknowledged an "administrative error," a judge ordered his return to the US. He was later charged in Tennessee with human smuggling and released following a federal court ruling. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a temporary agreement with the United States regarding third-country nationals, but noted a preference for taking individuals from African countries without criminal records.