Lawyers for the Salvadoran immigrant asked he be returned to Maryland to prevent his quick deportation from Tennessee.
Federal prosecutors have told a judge in Maryland that the United States government plans to initiate a new round of removal proceedings against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man whose mistaken deportation in March drew outcry.
On Thursday, Department of Justice lawyer, Jonathan Guynn, said the removal proceedings would be to a “third country”, not El Salvador, where Abrego Garcia was previously deported.
But the prosecutor also said the government’s plans are not “imminent”. Guynn added that the US government would comply with all court orders.
The government’s plan came to light as part of an emergency request presented to US District Judge Paula Xinis in Greenbelt, Maryland.
