El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, seated next to President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, stated on Monday that he lacks the authority to bring back Kilmar Abrego García, a migrant from Maryland who was erroneously deported. Bukele dismissed accusations of smuggling a “terrorist” into the U.S., a claim made by the Trump administration without evidence in the ongoing legal battle. Despite being labeled as a member of the MS-13 gang, Abrego García’s family and lawyer deny any affiliation. Following a court order preventing his deportation in 2019, Abrego García was mistakenly sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison. His attorney, Benjamin Osorio, expressed concerns over Bukele’s refusal to return his client, suggesting political motivations by both Bukele and Trump. The Supreme Court has directed the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego García’s return, but Trump has shifted responsibility to El Salvador, with his officials emphasizing that the decision lies with the Salvadoran government.
Washington, April 14, 2025 – In a recent development, Bondi, Rubio, and Stephen Miller, Trump’s homeland security adviser, highlighted the Supreme Court’s ruling as a victory for the administration in an ongoing legal dispute. They pointed out that the court’s decision from last week favored the administration. The administration is expected to provide a daily update on Abrego Garcia on Monday, with another hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
However, Miller inaccurately asserted that the court had unanimously ruled 9-0 that neither the Secretary of State nor the president could be compelled to forcibly bring back a citizen of El Salvador from the country. In reality, the Supreme Court emphasized that the government should be transparent about the actions it has taken and potential future steps. The court also acknowledged that Abrego Garcia was under a withholding order that made his removal to El Salvador illegal.
The Trump administration has deported numerous individuals they claim to be Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, often with minimal due process. Rubio, in a recent social media post, mentioned the deportation of 10 alleged criminals associated with MS-13 and Tren de Aragua to El Salvador. He praised the collaboration between Trump and Bukele, describing it as a model for security and prosperity in the region.
During their meeting in the Oval Office, Trump and Bukele commended each other, with Trump referring to the Salvadoran president as a “great friend” and Bukele expressing his willingness to assist the administration. Apart from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members, Trump and some officials have discussed the possibility of sending U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes to El Salvadoran prisons or other foreign facilities, a move legal experts argue would violate the Constitution.
Trump expressed support for the idea, stating that he would deport homegrown criminals without hesitation. Discussions are ongoing to assess the legality of such actions. ABC News’ Devin Dwyer and Jim Hill contributed to this report.
