Trump administration reaffirms plans to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia

Lead

The Trump administration reaffirmed in a federal court hearing on Tuesday its plan to deport Salvadoran immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia, overriding his preference for Costa Rica, a country that has agreed to accept him. The case has become a focal point in the immigration debate, drawing scrutiny over the administration's motives and the legality of its mass deportation campaign.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the development was led by Al Jazeera and The Guardian, both of which reported on the administration's stance and the surrounding controversy. Al Jazeera framed the issue critically, describing Abrego Garcia's removal as "wrongful" and the administration's campaign as a "mass deportation" effort. The Guardian adopted a more neutral tone, focusing on the legal and procedural details of the case while quoting from court documents and officials.

Both outlets reported that U.S. government attorneys, led by Ernesto Molina, director of the Department of Justice's office of immigration litigation, informed U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis that the Department of Homeland Security still intends to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia. They also noted Abrego Garcia's preference for Costa Rica and that country's willingness to accept him.

Key Claims

According to both Al Jazeera and The Guardian, Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025, in violation of a 2019 protection order that found he could face gang violence if returned. The administration has acknowledged the removal as an "administrative error" but initially refused to seek his return, arguing he was a gang member, a claim disputed by his lack of a criminal record at the time, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Abrego Garcia, 30, has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager, according to The Guardian. In 2019, an immigration judge ruled he could not be deported to El Salvador because of the danger he faced from a gang that had threatened his family, as reported by The Guardian.

Both sources reported that Costa Rica has agreed to accept Abrego Garcia and has recently inked an agreement to accept 25 removals from the U.S. per week. However, Todd Lyons, the acting head of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, wrote in a March memo that deporting Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica would be "prejudicial to the United States," and argued he should be sent to Liberia because the U.S. has spent resources and political capital negotiating with that country, as reported by The Guardian.

The U.S. government has filed criminal charges against Abrego Garcia for human smuggling, and he has pleaded not guilty. During Tuesday's hearing, Judge Xinis pointed out that the Department of Justice is prosecuting him in Tennessee, and called it a "fantasy" to suggest he could "remove himself" to Costa Rica while the case is pending, as reported by The Guardian. She set a new hearing for April 28.

Perspectives

Abrego Garcia's case has sparked differing interpretations of the administration's intent. Al Jazeera reported that critics accuse the U.S. government of seeking retribution against Abrego Garcia, whose case has spurred scrutiny over the legality of Trump's mass deportation campaign. Judge Xinis has also questioned the administration's motive for choosing Liberia, suggesting it may be seeking retribution, as reported by The Guardian.

The Guardian noted that Judge Xinis previously wrote that the agency has "no viable plan" to deport Abrego Garcia, referring in February to "one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success." This legal skepticism contrasts with the administration's assertion that it is committed to the Liberia plan.

Al Jazeera reported that Abrego Garcia was imprisoned in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) and later in a second prison in Santa Ana, following his wrongful deportation, details that have fueled criticism of the administration's handling of his case.

The administration, for its part, has maintained that the deportation is a matter of policy, with officials arguing that the Liberia plan is in the national interest, as reflected in the March memo by Lyons, according to The Guardian.