U.S. Attorney General Stands Firm: Abrego Garcia's Return Hinges on El Salvador

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi firmly stated that the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian national deported from Maryland, depends entirely on El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.

In a recent press briefing, Attorney General Pam Bondi reiterated the Trump administration’s stance that the fate of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador, lies in the hands of the Salvadorian government. Despite federal and Supreme Court orders to facilitate Garcia’s return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings, Bondi emphasized that without President Nayib Bukele’s cooperation, Garcia will remain in El Salvador. “He is not coming back to our country,” Bondi declared, underscoring that any potential return would require El Salvador to initiate the process.

Garcia, who had been living in Maryland, was deported in March and is currently believed to be detained in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The courts have ordered the U.S. government to ensure his case is handled correctly, as if he had never been improperly deported. However, Bondi stressed that Garcia, not being a U.S. citizen and having lived illegally in the country, remains subject to El Salvador’s decisions.

The situation has escalated with a federal judge in Maryland ordering an expedited discovery process to assess the U.S. efforts in facilitating Garcia’s return. Amidst legal battles and international discussions, the Trump administration continues to assert that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of El Salvador, highlighting the complexities of international law and diplomacy.