US Government Seeks to Deport Salvadoran Migrant to Uganda

Less than 24 hours after his release, US authorities informed Salvadoran national Kilmar Ábrego García that he could be deported to Uganda, his lawyers say.

Ábrego García declined a plea offer to plead guilty to human smuggling in exchange for deportation to Costa Rica—an agreement made after his anticipated release from a Tennessee jail.

Previously, the Trump administration mistakenly deported him to El Salvador in March, only to bring him back to face criminal charges. He denies allegations of ties to the MS-13 gang.

Upon his release, his legal team learned the government now intends to send him to Uganda—a country with which he has no connection.

"The DOJ, DHS, and ICE are using their powers to force Mr. Ábrego to choose between a guilty plea followed by relative safety, or rendition to Uganda, where his safety and liberty would be under threat," they wrote.

Ábrego García, now in Maryland with his family, will appear in a Baltimore court on Monday. If approved, he could be deported within days under agreements the US has with Honduras and Uganda as part of its immigration policy.

Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, Uganda's permanent secretary at the foreign ministry, said: "This is a temporary arrangement with conditions including that individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted. Uganda also prefers that individuals from African countries shall be the ones transferred to Uganda."

His case highlights the administration’s hard line on immigration. After being returned to the US in early June and charged with human smuggling, a federal judge in Tennessee ruled him eligible for release in late June. He remained detained over fears he could be quickly deported again.

US authorities are offering a choice between pleading guilty for safe resettlement in Costa Rica or facing deportation to Uganda, raising concerns over the migrant's safety and legal rights.

This topic was reported by BBC.

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