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A Salvadoran citizen who was mistakenly deported to a maximum-security jail in his home country has returned to the US, only to face charges for his alleged involvement in a human smuggling ring.
US prosecutors have indicted Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia for conspiring to bring undocumented migrants into the country, as revealed in an unsealed indictment on Friday.
According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Abrego Garcia played a significant role in the alleged conspiracy. The case highlights the ongoing legal battles surrounding President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, which have led to mass deportations and legal challenges.
Abrego Garcia and his co-conspirators are accused of bringing individuals from Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, and other countries into the US, receiving payments for their illegal transportation between 2016 and 2025.
The case gained national attention when it was revealed that Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador due to an “administrative error,” a move deemed illegal by a federal judge in a separate case.
If convicted, Abrego Garcia will serve his sentence in the US before being returned to El Salvador, as per Bondi’s statement. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele agreed to transfer Abrego Garcia back to the US after being presented with an arrest warrant from Washington.
Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador in March further complicates the situation. The US government alleges that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by Trump. However, Abrego Garcia denies this claim, and a US immigration judge previously halted his removal to El Salvador citing a risk of persecution.
The impact of the indictment on a separate case filed in Maryland to challenge Abrego Garcia’s removal remains uncertain. The US Supreme Court recently ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the US.
Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche noted that the indictment changes the dynamics of the ongoing litigation in Maryland. It remains to be seen how this development will affect Abrego Garcia’s legal battles and his eventual fate.
