On Monday morning, embattled immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia was scheduled to check in at a federal building in Baltimore. He had been released from prison on Friday.
According to multiple news sources, Abrego Garcia was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before what was expected to be a routine meeting.
Abrego Garcia’s Message
He spoke to hundreds of supporters in Spanish before he was apprehended, “My name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and I want you to remember this, remember that I am free and I was able to be reunited with my family. This was a miracle. Thank you to God and thank you to the community,”
He added, “I want to thank each and every one of you who marched, lift your voices, never stop praying, and continue to fight in my name.”
Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to an El Salvadoran high security prison in March. After an attempted intervention by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, he was returned to the United States in June. He was then charged with smuggling illegal aliens and detained in a Tennessee prison.
Senators’ Statements
Over the weekend Sen. Van Hollen met with Abrego Garcia. Late this morning, the Senator’s office issued the following statement:
“While ICE is holding Kilmar Ábrego García and keeping his lawyers in the dark as to what is next for him, Administration officials continue to spread lies about the facts in his case. Instead of spewing unproven allegations in the press and social media, the Trump Administration needs to put up or shut up in court and allow Mr. Ábrego García the opportunity to defend himself. That is the right to due process that he and everyone else living in America is afforded by our Constitution, and we will keep fighting to ensure that right is honored.”
Senator Alsobrooks also weighed in with her thoughts about Monday’s events:
“The Trump Administration has made it clear: they are callously using Kilmar Ábrego García as a pawn and a distraction. We live in a nation of laws, and as much as Trump may hate it, Kilmar Ábrego García is entitled to due process.”
A social media post by ICE threatened to now deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda.
Late Monday a federal judge barred Abrego Garcia’s deportation until a hearing can be held.
