El Salvador Refuses US Deportee Return

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has refused to return Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen mistakenly deported from the United States, despite a U.S. Supreme Court order to facilitate his return. During an Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump, Bukele stated that returning Abrego Garcia would be like smuggling a terrorist. Donald Trump and his administration officials, including Marco Rubio, Stephen Miller, and Pam Bondi, supported Bukele's stance, arguing that it is El Salvador's decision and that the U.S. only has an obligation to provide a plane if El Salvador chooses to return him. Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had lived in Maryland for 15 years and was granted protections by a U.S. immigration judge, is currently held in El Salvador's CECOT prison. The Donald Trump administration has also been deporting hundreds of people to El Salvador under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, with El Salvador receiving $6 million to house migrants in a mega-prison.