A United States federal judge has requested assurances that immigration officials will not deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia while a court-ordered injunction remains in place, barring his removal from the country. The Salvadoran national, who entered the US illegally as a teenager in 2011, has been at the center of a high-profile immigration case.

Abrego Garcia fled gang violence in his home country and is married to an American citizen with whom he has children. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from deportation to El Salvador, citing a “well-founded fear” of violence from a gang that targeted his family. However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently filed a notice of its plan to send him to Liberia, a move that has sparked controversy.

The judge questioned why ICE did not consider deporting Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica, a country that has offered to take him in as a refugee and has promised not to re-deport him to El Salvador. Abrego Garcia’s lawyer argued that deporting him to Liberia, a country with which he has no connection, would be “cruel and unconstitutional.”

Abrego Garcia’s case has drawn significant attention due to his previous wrongful deportation to El Salvador in March, where he was held in a notorious prison despite having no criminal record. Following public pressure and a court order, the US administration brought him back and detained him on human smuggling charges.

Liberia’s decision to accept Abrego Garcia, as well as similar agreements with other African countries, including Eswatini, Ghana, South Sudan, and Rwanda, has raised concerns among public and civil society groups. These countries have agreed to accept US deportees, despite opposition from local communities.

The case highlights the complexities and challenges of US immigration policies, particularly under the Trump administration. Abrego Garcia’s situation remains uncertain, with the court’s injunction in place and the US government’s plans for his deportation still unclear. The judge’s request for assurances that Abrego Garcia will not be deported while the injunction is in place underscores the need for careful consideration and due process in immigration cases. As the situation continues to unfold, it is likely to remain a focal point in the ongoing debate over US immigration policies and their impact on individuals and communities.