A Salvadoran man, Kilmar Ábrego García, who was mistakenly deported from the United States, remains in a precarious situation after being held incommunicado in an El Salvador prison. The situation has left him deeply traumatized, as reported by a Maryland senator following a recent visit to see the wrongfully deported man.
This development follows the Trump administration’s acknowledgment of an “administrative error” leading to Ábrego García’s deportation from Maryland, where he had resided with his American wife and son. The senator traveled to El Salvador to meet his constituent after facing initial resistance from President Nayib Bukele’s government. Eventually, a meeting was facilitated at a hotel, where Ábrego García recounted his ordeal.
Ábrego García’s conversation with the senator marked his first outside contact since his detention. He expressed profound sadness about being imprisoned despite not having committed any crimes. The senator conveyed details of Ábrego García’s wellbeing and informed him of the controversy surrounding his deportation, including a Supreme Court ruling against the Trump administration’s actions.
The deportation episode began when federal agents arrested Ábrego García following a traffic stop while he was traveling with his young child who has autism. He was taken through Baltimore and Texas before being shackled and transported to El Salvador. Upon arrival, he was confined in the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) under distressing conditions, sharing a cell with numerous other detainees.
While Ábrego García was not afraid of his immediate cellmates, he felt traumatized by the environment at Cecot and intimidated by inmates in other cell blocks. Recently, he was relocated to a prison in Santa Ana, where conditions have reportedly improved. However, he remains cut off from external communication and uninformed about any charges against him or the duration of his detention.
The senator emphasized his motivation to advocate for Ábrego García’s rights and facilitate communication with his family, stressing the broader implications for constitutional protections and fundamental freedoms in America. He urged bipartisan support, highlighting the case as a matter transcending political divisions.
In a related judicial opinion, a federal appeals judge criticized the administration’s conduct, warning against undermining due process principles fundamental to the constitutional order. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has faced criticism for its stance, labeling Ábrego García as a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim publicly rejected by the senator.
Concerning allegations during the meeting with Ábrego García, the senator refuted claims of consuming margaritas, asserting the drinks were placed without their consumption. This incident underscores the contentious nature of the case and the lengths to which involved parties have gone to shape perceptions.
Accompanying the senator at the airport was Ábrego García’s wife, visibly emotional as she listened to the account of her husband’s situation. In a poignant moment, Ábrego García expressed a desire to communicate with his spouse, a request the senator pledged to support actively.