Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Here’s What You Need to Know: Trump Did Not Ignore a Supreme Court Ruling in El Salvador Deportation Case
The Gateway Pundit ^ | Apr. 16, 2025 9:00 am | Antonio Graceffo

Posted on 04/16/2025 12:34:45 PM PDT by SoConPubbie

The media would have you believe that President Trump defied a Supreme Court ruling in the deportation case of Kilmar Abrego García, an MS-13 gang member recently returned to El Salvador.

However, his gang affiliation was established by an immigration court back in 2019. The deportation itself is legal.

The only legal question is whether he should have been sent to El Salvador, given that he had “withholding of removal” status due to a credible fear of gang violence.

The Supreme Court has ordered the administration to facilitate his return from El Salvador—but President Nayib Bukele has refused to hand over one of his own citizens, and the United States has no authority to forcibly retrieve him.

The media has completely misrepresented this case, sparking outrage among liberals who claim the man is a victim. They keep referring to him as “a Maryland man,” implying that he is a U.S. citizen. But he is not.

He was a U.S. resident who happened to be living in Maryland. In reality, he is a citizen of El Salvador who entered the United States in 2011 at the age of 16.

In most cases, the U.S. deports individuals to their country of citizenship or, if that’s not possible, to the last country they resided in before entering the U.S. which both instances is El Salvador.

Kilmar Abrego García was deported from the United States to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, after his affiliation with MS-13 was found to violate the terms of his U.S. residency.

The evidence cited by U.S. authorities stemmed from a 2019 immigration judge’s finding that García was affiliated with the MS-13 gang—a conclusion based on information provided by a confidential informant. The judge ruled that the informant’s testimony was sufficient to deny García’s bond request.

This immigration judge denied García’s asylum request because he did not file within one year of arriving in the United States, as required by U.S. immigration law.

However, the judge granted him “withholding of removal,” a narrower form of protection that prevented his deportation to El Salvador due to a credible fear of persecution from another gang. This status allowed him to live and work legally in the U.S. but did not provide a path to permanent residency or citizenship, unlike asylum.

In addition to being a violent transnational criminal organization, MS-13 was officially designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States in 2025. As a result, García is now classified as a terrorist, further invalidating his legal right to remain in the country.

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) explicitly states that applicants are ineligible for “withholding of removal” if there are reasonable grounds to believe they have committed serious nonpolitical crimes or are a danger to the security of the United States, including through terrorism.

News outlets argue that Kilmar Abrego García should not have been deported because he was never charged with a crime. However, no criminal offense is necessary.

Gang affiliation—particularly with a violent transnational criminal or terrorist organization—is sufficient legal justification for deportation.

Under U.S. immigration law, lawful permanent residents can be removed from the country if they are determined to pose a threat to public safety or the national interest, even without a criminal conviction.

The media have repeatedly reported that García and his family deny any affiliation with MS-13.

However, there is ample reason to believe that individuals facing deportation—and their families—often deny wrongdoing in an effort to avoid consequences.

Trending: BREAKING: Top Hegseth Advisor Escorted Out of Pentagon For Leaking – Dan Caldwell Was Also Part of the Mike Waltz Houthi Chat Group

Another point frequently raised by the media is that no criminal charges have been filed against him. While this is technically true, U.S. immigration law does not require criminal charges to revoke a visa or lawful residency.

Gang affiliation alone is grounds for removal, regardless of whether a conviction has occurred. The media also claim that García was not given a trial or hearing, but under U.S. law, a full trial is not required to invalidate residency and deport someone in cases involving immigration violations.

After his deportation, Kilmar Abrego García was sent to El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), consistent with Salvadoran law, which permits detention of individuals linked to designated terrorist groups.

Since MS-13 was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S. in 2025, Salvadoran authorities treated his affiliation accordingly.

President Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on gangs has transformed El Salvador from one of the world’s most violent countries, with a homicide rate of over 100 per 100,000 in 2015, to one of the safest in Latin America, with a rate of just 2.4 per 100,000 in 2023.

On April 10, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling directing the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Abrego García to the United States.

The Court’s decision followed the administration’s admission that García’s deportation to El Salvador had been an “administrative error” and violated a 2019 court order that specifically barred his removal to that country due to credible threats from gangs.

However, the Court stopped short of mandating that the government “effectuate” his return to the United States.​

The Trump administration interpreted the Court’s use of “facilitate” as a directive to assist in Garcia’s release but not to guarantee his return.

They argued that since Garcia is currently under the custody of El Salvador, the U.S. lacks the authority to compel his return.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has refused to release Kilmar Abrego García, stating that he lacks the authority to do so and mocking the U.S. request as tantamount to “smuggling a terrorist” back into the country.

Although the United States and El Salvador have maintained an extradition treaty since 1911, it applies only to individuals facing criminal charges or convictions—not to someone who was deported in error and is not accused of a crime.

Under Salvadoran law, there is no legal precedent or legislative mechanism that permits the president to transfer a Salvadoran citizen to a foreign country outside of formal extradition proceedings.

Furthermore, current Salvadoran policy under Bukele mandates the automatic detention of individuals with verified gang affiliations or gang-related tattoos in the country’s high-security prison system.

Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, Bukele’s policies fall strictly under El Salvador’s domestic jurisdiction, and the United States has no legal authority to interfere in the country’s internal legal processes.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elsalvador; illegalaliens; illegalimmigration; immigration; marylandman; senate; trump

1 posted on 04/16/2025 12:34:45 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

The Gaslight Media lies as usual.


2 posted on 04/16/2025 12:35:51 PM PDT by kiryandil (No one in AZ that voted for Trump voted for Gallego )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

with all the fraud found, every time one of these judges act up, drop the hammer and arrest a democrat for fraud. -repeat...

It would all stop quick.


3 posted on 04/16/2025 12:37:34 PM PDT by sit-rep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

“United States has no authority to forcibly retrieve him”

A district court judge has the authority, they’ll tell you so themselves.


4 posted on 04/16/2025 12:42:48 PM PDT by packagingguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

Also, his deportation WAS NOT A MISTAKE!


5 posted on 04/16/2025 12:46:55 PM PDT by lewislynn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kiryandil

Most people get this wrong.

The Supreme Court said ‘facilitate his release’ not ‘facilitate his return’.

The Supreme Court also said that the judge could not order Trump to ‘effectuate his return’ as that may be beyond the constitucional authority of the judge.

So all that district judge Xinis can compel the Trump Administration to do is to ‘facilitate the release’ of the MS-13 gang member, not ‘facilitate the return’ of the terrorist to the USA.

The Trump Administration already met that burden with the visit of El Salvador’s president, and President Bukele already said he would not release convict Kilmar. Case closed.


6 posted on 04/16/2025 12:48:30 PM PDT by Toughluck_freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie
Trump has handed the Democrats a campaign issue for 2028:

Bring Kilmar home!

It will resonate like "Remember the Alamo!" or "Remember Pearl Harbor!"

With Kilmar being a Maryland Man, I predict the Republicans will lose Maryland in 2028.

7 posted on 04/16/2025 1:04:21 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Toughluck_freeper

Democrat judges are terrorists and traitors.


8 posted on 04/16/2025 1:41:22 PM PDT by kiryandil (No one in AZ that voted for Trump voted for Gallego )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Verginius Rufus

yes the dems have their campaign slogan

bring the terrorist home


9 posted on 04/16/2025 1:45:45 PM PDT by joshua c
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Toughluck_freeper

>>The Supreme Court said ‘facilitate his release’ not ‘facilitate his return’.

That’s an important distinction. Thanks for pointing it out.


10 posted on 04/16/2025 2:34:43 PM PDT by mbrfl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

I wish someone would publish the link to the case where he is shown to be affiliated with ms-13. Hard to find with all of the other garbage on google.


11 posted on 04/16/2025 2:41:57 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Verginius Rufus

????

Republicans normally lose Maryland by a big margin. What are you trying to say?


12 posted on 04/16/2025 2:51:29 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

“The only legal question is whether he should have been sent to El Salvador, given that he had “withholding of removal” status due to a credible fear of gang violence.”

So let him stay and perpetuate his career of violence here? ... ReallY?


13 posted on 04/16/2025 2:57:50 PM PDT by antidemoncrat ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dilbert San Diego

That was tongue-in-cheek. I know they always lose Maryland except in very rare circumstances like 1972 and 1984.


14 posted on 04/16/2025 3:11:35 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie

Nothing they say can be taken at face value.


15 posted on 04/16/2025 3:43:17 PM PDT by Salman (Lasu Eŭropon bruli!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...

16 posted on 04/16/2025 3:55:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Verginius Rufus

Oh please...they would lose Maryland no matter WHAT! This won’t be the cause.


17 posted on 04/16/2025 4:13:07 PM PDT by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie; Liz

Vital to know the details. The real details.


18 posted on 04/16/2025 8:00:45 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (Method, motive, and opportunity: No morals, shear madness and hatred by those who cheat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

SCOTUS wording “facilitate” cop-out essentially means to buy him a plane ticket so when he lands on U.S. soil he can then be arrested and deported. The release to use that plane ticket is 100% in the hands of El Salvador.


19 posted on 04/17/2025 2:31:49 AM PDT by USCG SimTech
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kiryandil

Garcia is a weird hill for the gaslight media to die on. Nobody in the gaslight media has ever cited a shred of evidence as to him being a model citizen.


20 posted on 04/17/2025 3:51:33 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson