US Government Declares Salvadoran Deportee Will "Never Go Free" Despite Judge's Ruling

Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported, has been ordered released by a judge, yet U.S. officials maintain he will not be free, citing serious criminal charges and immigration enforcement.

Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man, has found himself at the center of a legal controversy after a federal judge ordered his release, although U.S. officials declare he will "never go free" on American soil. After being mistakenly deported in March as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, García was returned to the U.S. facing serious criminal charges, including human smuggling.

Charged with a years-long conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants across state lines, García’s return followed a lengthy legal battle. He was deported to the infamous Cecot mega-prison in El Salvador, where conditions are notoriously brutal. The U.S. Supreme Court intervened, directing government officials to facilitate his return to Maryland, where he had initially entered the country illegally as a teenager.

Despite the judge overseeing his case, Barbara Holmes, stating that the government had not adequately proven that García posed a risk to minors or was a flight risk, the Department of Homeland Security is determined to prevent his freedom. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized in a social media communication that García is a "dangerous criminal illegal alien."

García, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, vehemently denies allegations of gang affiliation with MS-13. His case raises significant questions about the intersection of immigration enforcement and due process rights, situating him at a pivotal point in ongoing national discussions about U.S. immigration policy and the treatment of deported individuals.