A Devastating Error That Tore a Family Apart—Will Justice Be Served?
The administration of President Donald Trump admitted on Monday that deporting Abrego García to his native El Salvador was an “administrative error.”
In the 22 days since Kilmar Abrego García, a Maryland resident, was wrongfully deported to a violent prison in El Salvador, his autistic son has sought comfort in the scent of his father’s missing presence.
Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Abrego García’s wife, stated in court documents:
“Although he cannot speak, he shows me how much he misses Kilmar. He has been finding Kilmar’s work shirts and smelling them to sense his familiar scent. He has been crying and behaving more unusually than usual.”
Abrego García, 29, who worked as an auto body repair apprentice and was seeking his license to become a certified technician, was arrested on March 12 in an IKEA parking lot—with his five-year-old son in the car.
Despite a 2019 immigration judge ruling granting him protection from deportation due to the danger he faced from gangs in El Salvador, he was mistakenly sent back.
U.S. Government Admits Error, But Refuses to Bring Him Back
The Trump administration acknowledged on Monday that deporting Abrego García was an “administrative error.”
However, White House officials are refusing to bring him back, claiming—without evidence—that Abrego García has ties to the MS-13 gang.
The administration also asserts that it lacks the authority to request his return from the Salvadoran government.
His family and lawyers strongly deny any gang affiliation, arguing that the U.S. government has provided little to no proof for its claims. The wrongful deportation and the administration’s admission of error have sparked widespread outrage.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) condemned the deportation, writing on X (formerly Twitter):
“No one should be deported to a country where a judge has ruled they will face persecution. It is outrageous that due process means nothing to the federal government. They have admitted their mistake, and I urge them to correct it.”
He added:
“We can be both pro-public safety and pro-Constitution at the same time.”
Abrego García entered the United States illegally around 2011, fleeing gang violence in El Salvador. He settled in Maryland to join his older brother, a U.S. citizen.
His immigration status became the subject of a 2019 court hearing, after he was arrested while looking for work and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ICE argued against his release, claiming—based on local Maryland police reports—that he was a gang member.
However, his lawyers filed a substantial case, proving his eligibility for protection and challenging the unfounded gang allegations.
Although his asylum request was denied, an immigration judge granted him protection from deportation in October 2019. ICE did not appeal, and he was released.
Abrego García later married Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen, and together they raise their son, along with her two children from a previous relationship.
Migrants Rejected by El Salvador in Trump’s Controversial Crackdown
