A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily halted her order requiring the Trump administration to provide information on its efforts so far, if any, to retrieve a man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
Drew Ensign, a deputy assistant attorney general, filed a sealed motion requesting a seven-day stay of the judge’s directive for the U.S. to provide testimony and documents that involve plans to retrieve Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
The administration is also seeking relief from having to file daily updates on its progress.
Lawyers for Abrego Garcia filed a response in opposition to the government’s motion to halt the order. It was also under seal in the Maryland federal court.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis granted the stay until April 30, but her order did not make any changes to the required daily status updates. She didn’t explain her legal reasoning, but wrote that it was made “with the agreement of the parties.”
The administration expelled Abrego Garcia to El Salvador last month, and officials later described the mistake as “an administrative error” — but insisted that Abrego Garcia was in fact a member of the MS-13 gang.
