Date April 16, 2025 | By TruthWire.News Staff
Who: Trump administration, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, U.S. Supreme Court
What: Refusal to comply with Supreme Court ruling to return a wrongfully deported U.S. resident
Where: U.S. and El Salvador
When: Deportation March 15, 2025; Court ruling April 10; unresolved as of April 16
Why: The administration claims it cannot compel a foreign government to act; courts argue it must make every effort to facilitate compliance
Source: AP News; Axios; Business Insider
In a move drawing sharp legal and political scrutiny, the Trump administration has so far refused to comply with a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling ordering the return of a wrongfully deported Maryland man from El Salvador.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident protected by a court-issued order due to threats from Salvadoran gangs, was deported on March 15, 2025, in what the administration later admitted was an “administrative error.” He is currently being held inside El Salvador’s controversial CECOT prison, known for its severe conditions.
On April 10, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the federal government must “facilitate” Garcia’s return. But nearly a week later, the administration has taken no meaningful steps. Instead, officials claim they’ve “fulfilled their obligation” by being prepared to receive him if El Salvador releases him—passing responsibility to a foreign government.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, overseeing follow-up proceedings, is now threatening contempt action over the administration’s refusal to act. Legal experts say the case presents a constitutional crisis in the making.
“This isn’t just about one man—it’s about whether the executive branch has to obey the Supreme Court,” said one legal scholar.