The administration under Donald Trump has acknowledged a significant error in the deportation of a Maryland father to El Salvador’s infamous mega-prison. Over 250 individuals alleged to be criminals have been sent to the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) in El Salvador, a facility known for housing members of violent gangs, including those from Venezuela, as well as individuals convicted of severe crimes.
The CECOT, recognized as the largest prison in the Americas, is capable of holding up to 40,000 inmates. In this particular case, the error involved the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who had been granted protected legal status by an immigration judge in 2019. This protected status was meant to prevent his deportation to El Salvador. However, on March 15, 2023, Abrego Garcia was mistakenly sent back to El Salvador, despite the protections that had been afforded to him.
Abrego Garcia’s legal team explained that he had fled gang violence in El Salvador more than a decade ago, seeking refuge in the United States. The filing, made public on March 31, revealed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was aware of his protected status but failed to prevent his removal due to a clerical mistake.
The issue arose when Abrego Garcia was arrested by ICE in mid-March for what they claimed was his prominent role in the MS-13 gang. However, his attorneys have strongly disputed this claim, asserting that he was neither a member nor had any affiliation with the gang.
In an attempt to clarify the situation, Robert Cerna, an acting ICE field office director, explained that Abrego Garcia had not been on the initial manifest for deportation. Instead, he had been listed as an alternate. As others were removed from the flight for various reasons, Abrego Garcia’s name moved up the list, and he was inadvertently added to the deportation flight. The manifest failed to indicate his protected status, and due to the administrative error, he was mistakenly sent to El Salvador.
Cerna further emphasized that the removal was conducted based on a final order of deportation and the incorrect belief that Abrego Garcia had gang affiliations. However, he acknowledged that the mistake was a result of an oversight and that the deportation was carried out in good faith.
While the Trump administration has admitted the error, the situation remains unresolved. As Abrego Garcia is currently in Salvadorian custody, it is unclear when or how he can be returned to the United States. His legal team continues to seek his return, while the broader implications of this administrative failure raise questions about the accuracy and effectiveness of the immigration enforcement process.
