US mistakenly deports man to mega-prison – and can’t get him back

WorldPolitics
1 Apr 2025 • 2:13 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • The Trump administration has mistakenly deported Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran immigrant with protected status in the US, to El Salvador's CECOT prison.
  • The US government admits the deportation was an administrative error, despite Mr Abrego Garcia having protection from removal due to fears of persecution in El Salvador.
  • Mr Abrego Garcia's family has filed a lawsuit demanding his return, but the administration argues the US court lacks jurisdiction since he is no longer in US custody.
  • The father and union worker had been living in the US for about 14 years after fleeing gang violence in El Salvador. ICE accused him of gang affiliation, a claim his lawyers dispute.
  • This incident follows the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador, some seemingly based on common tattoos, raising concerns about due process and the administration's use of emergency powers.

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