Attorney General Pam Bondi reiterated that Kilmar Abrego Garcia will not return to the US
Attorney General Pam Bondi has once again reiterated the Trump administration’s stance that it is ultimately up to El Salvador whether Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant wrongfully deported from Maryland last month, can return to the United States. Bondi made these remarks during a press briefing on Wednesday, emphasizing that El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele holds the key to Abrego Garcia’s fate.
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian national, was living in Maryland before being deported in March. He is currently being held in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Despite both a federal court and the Supreme Court ordering the government to facilitate his return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings, Bondi made it clear that Abrego Garcia will not be allowed back into the country.
During the briefing, Bondi emphasized that President Bukele has stated he will not send Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., effectively closing the door on any possibility of his return. She stated, “If he wanted to send him back, we would give him a plane ride back. There was no situation, ever, where he was going to stay in this country. None.”
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling upheld a lower court’s order for the government to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been wrongfully deported. Additionally, a federal judge in Maryland has ordered an expedited discovery process to secure Abrego Garcia’s return, with top Department of Homeland Security and State Department officials being deposed under oath.
Despite Abrego Garcia having temporary protected status in the U.S. since 2019, due to facing future persecution in El Salvador, Bondi stressed that he is not a U.S. citizen and was living illegally in the country. She reiterated that the matter of his return rests solely with El Salvador and its government.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also supported Bondi’s assertion, stating that it would be arrogant for the U.S. to dictate how El Salvador handles its own citizens. Miller emphasized that Abrego Garcia is a Salvadorian national and that it is ultimately up to El Salvador to decide his fate.
The Trump administration’s firm stance on Abrego Garcia’s deportation serves as a reminder of the complex nature of immigration policies and the importance of diplomatic relations between nations. As the legal battle continues, the fate of Abrego Garcia remains uncertain, with El Salvador holding the key to his potential return to the United States.
