US seeks to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Liberia despit...

What’s Happening

So get this: Man born in El Salvador has been fighting removal to series of ‘third’ countries after mistaken deportation last year US government attorneys on Tuesday told a federal judge the Department of Homeland Security still intends to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Liberia, despite a new agreement with Costa Rica to accept deportees who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.

The Salvadorian national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistak Kilmar Ábrego García arrives at the federal courthouse in Nashville, Tennessee, on 26 February 2026. Photograph: George Walker IV/AP View image in fullscreen Kilmar Ábrego García arrives at the federal courthouse in Nashville, Tennessee, on 26 February 2026. (shocking, we know)

Photograph: George Walker IV/AP US immigration US seeks to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Liberia despite new Costa Rica deal Man born in El Salvador has been fighting removal to series of ‘third’ countries after mistaken deportation last year Associated Press Tue 7 Apr 2026 18.

The Details

06 EDT Last modified on Tue 7 Apr 2026 18. 20 EDT Prefer the Guardian on Google US government attorneys on Tuesday told a federal judge the Department of Homeland Security still intends to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Liberia, despite a new agreement with Costa Rica to accept deportees who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.

Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to a series of African countries proposed officials. ICE cannot re-detain Kilmar Ábrego García, judge rules US district judge Paula Xinis, of Maryland, before barred ICE from deporting him or detaining him.

Why This Matters

She has written that the agency has no viable plan to actually deport Ábrego García, referring in February to “one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success”. Ábrego García has argued that if he is going to be deported, it should be to Costa Rica, which before agreed to accept him. But Todd Lyons, the acting head of US Customs and Immigration Enforcement, dropped in a March memo that deporting Ábrego García to Costa Rica would be “prejudicial to the United States”.

International observers are watching how this situation develops.

The Bottom Line

But Todd Lyons, the acting head of US Customs and Immigration Enforcement, dropped in a March memo that deporting Ábrego García to Costa Rica would be “prejudicial to the United States”.

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