Man wrongly deported from US to El Salvador released after five month detention

"Today, Kilmar Ábrego García is free," attorney Sean Hecker said.

Garcia, 29, is facing charges of conspiring to transport illegal immigrants into the US. He is accused of working with at least five others.

Originally from El Salvador, Garcia has been detained since his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials back in March.

He was apprehanded in Maryland - where he lives with his American wife and children - as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, and deported to his native El Salvador. 

"Today has been a very special day because I have seen my family for the first time in more than 160 days," García said in a statement.

He says he is thankful for the support and prayers of others, and said his release marks “steps closer to justice, but justice has not been fully served”.

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The release of Garcia will not be popular with the Trump administration, who vowed he would "never go free" on American soil.

Although he was eligible for pretrial release, lawyers of Garcia had requested he remain in custody until recently over fear he could be immediately deported again. 

Their concerns stem from statements from Homeland Security, saying they intend to deport Garcia to an unnamed third country.

The 29-year-old was granted a release order following a ruling passed in Maryland, which meant Garcia must be allowed time to mount a challenge to any deportation order. 

The order required him to travel directly to Maryland.

He is now under home detention, with his brother designated as his custodian.

Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, his attorney, said later that he had been "reunited with his loving family".

Garcia’s deportation came despite an immigration judge granting him protection from deportation back in 2019. Garcia was then deported by ICE and held in El Salvador’s maximum security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) using a controversial 18th-century law.

The 2019 order was granted on the basis that he would likely be persecuted by local gangs if he was returned to his native country. 

Democrat-senator Chris Van Hollen met Garcia whilst he was detained in CECOT, describing the experience having “traumatised” the 29-year-old. 

The Trump administration has since admitted that the deportation was an “administrative error” - although initially said they could not bring Garcia back as they didn’t have jurisdiction over El Salvador.

Garcia was returned to the US in June, where he was then detained on criminal charges filed in May. The Salvadoran was held in Putnam County jail in Tennessee from June until his release. 

A judge has ordered the Trump administration must give lawyers notice if they do seek to deport Garcia.