Supreme Court Orders Return of Wrongfully Deported Maryland Resident

Overview of the Supreme Court's Directive

On April 10, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court mandated that the federal government facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident and Salvadoran national, who was erroneously deported to El Salvador despite a 2019 court order protecting him from removal due to credible threats from local gangs. ​https://www.14news.com+5AP News+5Reuters+5

Supreme Court Orders Return of Wrongfully Deported Maryland Resident

Background of the Case

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29, fled gang violence in San Salvador around 2011 and settled in Maryland with his brother. He worked in construction, married a U.S. citizen, and was raising three children with disabilities. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from deportation due to credible fears of gang persecution but denied asylum. Despite this, in March 2025, he was mistakenly deported amid the Trump administration’s push to expel alleged gang members. ICE later described this as an “administrative error.” ​New York Post+4AP News+4https://www.14news.com+4

Legal Proceedings and Supreme Court Decision

The Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s order requiring the government to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return and clarify its actions, calling the deportation “wholly lawless.” The administration conceded the deportation was an error but claimed it could no longer act. Liberal justices criticized this stance, asserting it undermines legal accountability. ​Reuters+4AP News+4https://www.14news.com+4

Implications for Immigration Enforcement

This case underscores tensions between judicial authority and executive control in foreign relations, as well as questions of due process and immigration enforcement. The Supreme Court's decision emphasizes a balance between judicial authority and executive power in foreign affairs, instructing the lower court to refine its order to respect this division. ​