Jeffries demands SCOTUS hold Trump admin in contempt over deportation case

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has called for the Supreme Court to consider holding the Trump administration in contempt over the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadorian illegal migrant and former Maryland resident. The Supreme Court recently upheld a lower court’s decision to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return from an El Salvador prison, where federal officials had sent him along with hundreds of suspected criminals and gang members.

During a press conference on the Democrats’ upcoming “Save Social Security Day of Action,” Jeffries emphasized that the Supreme Court had ruled that Abrego Garcia should not have been deported. He urged the Trump administration to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive or face potential contempt charges for not following the court’s order.

The Supreme Court recognized that Abrego Garcia was subject to a withholding order in 2019 that prohibited his removal to El Salvador. The court deemed his deportation as illegal and stressed that the government must facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador and treat his case as if he were never deported.

The Trump administration initially acknowledged that Abrego Garcia’s deportation was due to an “administrative error.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller defended the decision, stating that two courts had found Abrego Garcia to be a member of the MS-13 gang, and he was deported after Trump declared the gang a terrorist organization.

Despite being married to a U.S. citizen and raising three children in the United States, Abrego Garcia was deported due to an outstanding deportation order and the foreign terrorist designation of MS-13. Efforts are now underway by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., to meet with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele to secure Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S.

Van Hollen has also called for the Trump administration to be held in contempt for defying court orders and keeping Abrego Garcia detained in a prison in El Salvador. He emphasized the injustice of keeping Abrego Garcia away from his family and urged the administration to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The ongoing legal battle surrounding Abrego Garcia’s deportation highlights the complexities of immigration policy and the challenges faced by individuals caught in the crossfire of legal disputes. As the case continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Trump administration will respond to calls for compliance with court orders and the return of Abrego Garcia to the United States.