The Trump administration accidentally sent a Salvadorian immigrant to a notorious Salvadorian prison and says it can’t do anything to get him back.
That’s even though the man had protected immigration status in the U.S., specifically barring him from being sent back to that country for fear of persecution.
On Monday, in a filing in Maryland federal court, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) admitted to mistakenly sending Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to El Salvador’s notoriously brutal CECOT prison.
“On March 15, although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error,” the government wrote.
His attorneys maintain he has no criminal record, ties to the gang, or relation to any criminal group.
On Wednesday, March 12, Abrego Garcia learned his immigration status had changed, and he was sent to El Salvador by Saturday.
The administration has acknowledged that “many” of the over 200 Venezuelans sent to El Salvador did not have a prior criminal record. »
