ICE 'clerical error' sends man to prison in El Salvador

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A administrative error ICE has sparked controversy after sending a Maryland man, with protected legal status, to a prison in El Salvador.

Kilmar Armando Abrego García, who lived in the United States with his American-citizen wife and son, was deported to El Salvador and is now at the center of a debate that raises questions about immigration procedures.

What happened to Kilmar Armando Abrego García?

Abrego García, originally from El Salvador, lived in Maryland with his family. According to his lawyers, in 2019 an immigration judge granted him a "withholding of removal" from El Salvador after rejecting his asylum application, allowing him to remain legally in the U.S.

However, earlier this month, ICE agents detained him citing a change in his immigration status. After being transferred to a detention center in Texas, he was sent to CECOT in El Salvador, known for its harsh conditions.

Robert L. Cerna, acting director of the ICE field office, admitted in a sworn statement that the transfer was a clerical error. Despite this, the government maintains that Abrego-Garcia had the opportunity to prove he was not affiliated with the MS-13 gang, a claim his lawyers vehemently deny, stating there is no evidence to support it.

The government's response and the controversy

The U.S. Department of Justice has acknowledged ICE's administrative error, but argues that since Abrego García is now in Salvadoran custody, U.S. courts lack jurisdiction to order his return.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance defended deportation , calling Abrego Garcia a “convicted MS-13 member” with no right to be in the U.S.

Impact on family and community

The deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego García has left his wife and five-year-old son in a state of uncertainty. His lawyers maintain that there are no convictions or concrete evidence to support the vice president's statement and have filed a lawsuit demanding his return to the United States.

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Fountain: ABC News