“Maryland Man” Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Report to ICE on Monday

(Substack)—Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national with ties to the notorious MS-13 gang, is due to check in at the ICE office in Baltimore today, where authorities plan to take him into custody and initiate deportation proceedings to Uganda. This comes after he turned down a government offer that would have allowed him to plead guilty to human smuggling charges in exchange for relocation to Costa Rica, a move his legal team describes as coercive pressure from the Trump administration.

Garcia’s case has dragged on for months, involving wrongful deportation, multiple court rulings, and sharp criticism from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has labeled his recent release from detention a dangerous misstep by the judiciary.

Federal prosecutors maintain that Garcia is an MS-13 affiliate who was caught transporting illegal immigrants in a van during a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. They also point to accusations from his wife of domestic abuse, painting him as a threat to public safety. Yet, an immigration judge earlier this year dismissed the gang membership claims for lack of evidence, and supporters portray Garcia as a dedicated family man caught in the crosshairs of aggressive immigration enforcement.

The saga began when Garcia, who entered the United States unlawfully as a teenager and settled in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador in March 2025. His family sued, leading to his return to the U.S. in May. Upon arrival, he faced the smuggling charges stemming from the Tennessee incident. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, appointed by President Obama, ordered his release on August 22, 2025, blocking ICE from immediate arrest despite objections from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Justice Department.

Secretary Noem didn’t mince words in response to the judge’s decision. In a statement, she condemned the release, calling it a “complete disregard for the safety of the American people” and vowing that the administration would persist in its efforts.

“We will not stop fighting till this Salvadoran man faces justice and is OUT of our country,” Noem declared, emphasizing the need to remove individuals like Garcia who pose risks to communities. Her comments echo broader concerns about lenient judges undermining border security and allowing dangerous criminals to roam free.

As the deadline approached, federal officials presented Garcia with the Costa Rica option.

“In conjunction with that proposal, the government produced a letter to Mr. Abrego’s counsel confirming that he could live freely in that country, which would accept him as a refugee or grant him residency status, and promise not to refoul him to El Salvador,” his attorneys stated in a court filing on Saturday.

But Garcia rejected it, prompting his lawyers to accuse the government of “vindictive and selective prosecution” in a motion to dismiss the case. They argued that the plea deal was a ploy involving coordinated pressure from the Justice Department, ICE, and DHS to force his hand.

“It was not until after he rejected that offer, they said, that the government ‘informed Mr. Abrego that he has until first thing Monday morning — precisely when he must report to ICE’s Baltimore Field Office — to accept a plea in exchange for deportation to Costa Rica, or else that offer will be off the table forever.’”

Immigrant advocacy group CASA, which has rallied behind Garcia, plans a candlelight vigil outside the Baltimore detention center today.

“Kilmar is being made an example of, a martyr for having the courage to stand up to this administration’s illegal deportation practices,” said Lydia Walther-Rodriguez, CASA’s Chief of Organizing and Leadership, in a statement.

Critics on the right, however, see such activism as enabling lawbreakers and ignoring the real victims of unchecked immigration, including American families affected by gang violence and human trafficking.

Garcia’s deportation to Uganda—a country with no apparent connection to him—stems from an immigration judge’s ruling that he cannot be sent back to El Salvador due to safety concerns there. This third-country removal highlights the complexities of enforcing immigration laws amid legal hurdles, but it also underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to expelling those who flout them. As Noem’s DHS statement bluntly put it, Garcia’s profile as an alleged “MS-13 Gang Member, Human Trafficker, Wife Beater, and Child Predator” demands swift action to protect the homeland.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle at America’s borders. While liberal judges and advocacy groups push for leniency, the administration’s tough stance aims to deter future violations and safeguard citizens from the perils of illegal immigration.