Kilmar Abrego Garcia entered the news in March 2025 after he was deported to El Salvador despite a court ruling that should have prevented it. His complicated legal fight since then has galvanized both sides of the debate over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. There is a civil case in Maryland where he has been challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s attempts to deport him to a series of African countries. There is also a criminal case in Tennessee, where the government accuses him of human smuggling. He has pleaded not guilty and asked that the case be dismissed, claiming it was only brought to punish him. Here is a timeline of key events: Arrival: around 2011Abrego Garcia flees El Salvador for the U.S. as a teenager.Arrest: March 28, 2019Abrego Garcia is arrested outside a Maryland hardware store. Police accuse him of being a gang member and turn him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Immigration court: Oct. 10, 2019A Maryland immigration judge rules that Abrego Garcia cannot be deported to El Salvador, where a gang has threatened his family. He is given a work permit and placed under federal supervision.Detained by ICE: March 12, 2025Abrego Garcia is detained by ICE in Baltimore while driving home with his 5-year-old son.
