Latest news with #Abrego
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Food Driver Deported After McDonald's Delivery Goes Wrong
A food delivery driver was deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison after he made a wrong turn into Canada from Detroit. The Detroit Free Press reported that Ricardo Prada Vásquez, a 32-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, was attempting to complete a McDonald's delivery in January when he made a grave mistake navigating the U.S.-Canadian border. Prada ended up crossing the Ambassador Bridge into Canada. When he attempted to re-enter the United States, he was apprehended by authorities. According to The New York Times, Prada had been in the country for only a few months. It is unclear which delivery app he was working for at the time. Prada's whereabouts were reportedly unknown for days due to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials holding him and other immigrants in detention centers across the country for extended periods. 'What we're seeing is one wrong turn at the Detroit bridge—the Ambassador Bridge—can result in your loved one disappearing,' said Michigan Immigrant Rights Center's Christine Sauve in a statement to the Free Press. She added, 'And that shouldn't be the case.' Prada's case adds to an intensifying war between the federal courts and the Trump administration, which has refused to return wrongly deported man Maryland Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S.—even after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered that the administration must facilitate his return from El Salvador. President Donald Trump and his cabinet officials have alleged on several occasions that Abrego is a gang member and would not be brought back to America, despite admitting that he was deported in an 'administrative error.' Abrego's wife Jennifer Vasquez Sura told The Washington Post that she was forced to go into hiding after the Department of Homeland Security posted a 2021 protective order of Abrego's that featured her address. 'I don't feel safe when the government posts my address, the house where my family lives,' said Vasquez, who shares three kids with Abrego. 'So, this is definitely a bit terrifying. I'm scared for my kids.'
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As Trump officials near deadline to return man deported to El Salvador, a group is demanding answers on student deportations
The Trump administration has until 11:59 p.m. Monday to return to the United States a Maryland man who the government admits was accidentally deported to a high-security prison in El Salvador. District Judge Paula Xinis on Sunday rejected efforts from the Trump administration to pause an order for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, claiming the removal of the Salvadoran metal worker was 'wholly lawless,' and a 'grievous error.' Xinis asserted on Sunday that her order remained 'in full force and effect.' The Department of Justice has asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to put the ruling on hold. Abrego, whose attorneys say fled gang violence in El Salvador more than a decade ago, has been sent to CECOT, the country's notorious mega prison. He was pulled over by federal agents and arrested on March 12, while his 5-year-old child sat in the back seat of his car. The government initially alleged Abrego was part of the MS-13 gang, but there is not a court case linking him to the group. Abrego's case is just one of hundreds caught in legal crossfires with the US government as the administration continues to slash immigration numbers and deport migrants –– whether they entered the US legally or illegally. It is, however, the first time the Trump administration has admitted to an error related to its recent deportation flights to El Salvador. The fraught legal battle is also taking place amid a sudden round of visa revocations among international students at some of the country's top universities, with college officials left unprepared and searching for answers from the government. As we enter another week of Trump's sweeping immigration clampdown, here's what to expect in the coming days: Years prior to his arrest, Abrego had been deemed a gang member by the Prince George's County Police Department in part because he was wearing a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie, and on the word of an informant who said that he was an active member of MS-13 –– an allegation his attorneys continually denied, according to a recent court filing. In 2019, an immigration judge granted Abrego protected status, prohibiting the federal government from sending him to El Salvador. Despite the government's acknowledgment of the mistake, the US Department of Homeland Security also claims he is involved in human trafficking. 'Whether he is in El Salvador or a detention facility in the U.S., he should be locked up,' DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to CNN Friday. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has also insisted on labeling Abrego as a criminal. Xinis on Sunday wrote in a legal opinion that allegations against Abrego were 'vague' and 'uncorroborated' –– and that in any case, he was under protected status. 'As defendants acknowledge, they had no legal authority to arrest him, no justification to detain him, and no grounds to send him to El Salvador — let alone deliver him into one of the most dangerous prisons in the Western Hemisphere,' she wrote. Abrego's arrest has sent shockwaves through his Central American community in Maryland, whose members told CNN they have been unfairly targeted by the administration or labeled as gang members without evidence. Salvadoran community members, including those who hold green cards or visas, say they have felt unsafe since Abrego's arrest as they could – at a moment's notice – be deported to a country where they may face life-threatening danger. As one of the collateral effects of the case, the Department of Justice has placed US Attorney Erez Reuveni on leave after he expressed frustration at not being able to answer key questions from a judge over the mistaken deportation. Asked why the US couldn't simply ask for Abrego's return, Reuveni said, 'The first thing I did when I got this case on my desk is ask my clients the same question,' adding that he did not get a direct answer. Attorney General Pam Bondi took issue with how Reuveni handled the case in court, saying, in a statement to CNN, that 'every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States. Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.' In another momentary upset for the government, a federal judge in Boston has transferred the case against Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk to Vermont, after the Turkish national was arrested and taken to a Louisiana jail pending deportation. Judge Denise J. Casper last week denied the government's motion to transfer Öztürk's case to the Western District of Louisiana and ruled that her order to stop Öztürk's deportation stands. A status update for Öztürk's case is expected to come on Monday. After being arrested in Boston last month, the Turkish doctoral student was moved across multiple state lines as part of a 'highly unusual' and 'secretive' attempt to keep her from accessing her attorney or being near her home, her attorneys said last week. In documents filed with the federal district court in Boston, attorneys for Öztürk accused the federal government of targeting her because of her advocacy for Palestinian rights, which they pointed out would be a violation of Öztürk's constitutionally protected right to free speech. 'While the trauma ICE has inflicted on her for writing an op-ed is irreparable, this is the first step towards bringing her home,' attorney Sidra Mahfooz said in a statement to CNN. More than two dozen international students at universities across the country are known to have their visas revoked so far, with several colleges still seeking answers behind the reasons for the move. The American Council on Education, an organization that spearheads public policy and research at schools, requested a briefing from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department regarding visa revocations of international students. At least five international students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst had their visas revoked last week, the university said Friday. While two international students at the University of Texas Austin and a 'small number' of students at the University of Cincinnati had their student visas revoked or legal status terminated. In California, at least 15 students or recent graduates from the University of California system and Stanford University had their student visas revoked. Harvard University said Sunday that a recent records review revealed five current and previous students have had their visas revoked, according to an announcement sent to the university's community members. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday announced the US would begin suspending visas of all South Sudanese nationals and block new arrivals –– a decision that could affect the status of Duke University's basketball player Khaman Maluach, the Blue Devils' starting center and NBA hopeful. 'It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,' Rubio said in a statement. 'Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.' Under the Biden administration, South Sudanese people were granted temporary protected status until May 3, 2025, but since taking office, President Donald Trump has moved to curb protections for migrants already living in the United States as part of his crackdown on immigration. Rubio alleged South Sudan, which has been plagued with civil unrest since splitting from Sudan in 2011, is not accepting back its citizens 'in a timely manner' as the US 'seeks to remove them.' In a statement sent to several news outlets, Duke University spokesman Frank Tramble said the school is 'looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand the implications for Duke students.' Harvard Professor Ricardo Hausmann, a Venezuelan-born economist, said on X that Rubio's announcement 'transforms every non-US citizen into a potential hostage of the US government to be used as leverage over foreign states.'
CNN
07-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
As Trump officials near deadline to return man deported to El Salvador, a group is demanding answers on student deportations
The Trump administration has until 11:59 p.m. Monday to return to the United States a Maryland man who the government admits was accidentally deported to a high-security prison in El Salvador. District Judge Paula Xinis on Sunday rejected efforts from the Trump administration to pause an order for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, claiming the removal of the Salvadoran metal worker was 'wholly lawless,' and a 'grievous error.' Xinis asserted on Sunday that her order remained 'in full force and effect.' The Department of Justice has asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to put the ruling on hold. Abrego, whose attorneys say fled gang violence in El Salvador more than a decade ago, has been sent to CECOT, the country's notorious mega prison. He was pulled over by federal agents and arrested on March 12, while his 5-year-old child sat in the back seat of his car. The government initially alleged Abrego was part of the MS-13 gang, but there is not a court case linking him to the group. Abrego's case is just one of hundreds caught in legal crossfires with the US government as the administration continues to slash immigration numbers and deport migrants –– whether they entered the US legally or illegally. It is, however, the first time the Trump administration has admitted to an error related to its recent deportation flights to El Salvador. The fraught legal battle is also taking place amid a sudden round of visa revocations among international students at some of the country's top universities, with college officials left unprepared and searching for answers from the government. As we enter another week of Trump's sweeping immigration clampdown, here's what to expect in the coming days: Years prior to his arrest, Abrego had been deemed a gang member by the Prince George's County Police Department in part because he was wearing a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie, and on the word of an informant who said that he was an active member of MS-13 –– an allegation his attorneys continually denied, according to a recent court filing. In 2019, an immigration judge granted Abrego protected status, prohibiting the federal government from sending him to El Salvador. Despite the government's acknowledgment of the mistake, the US Department of Homeland Security also claims he is involved in human trafficking. 'Whether he is in El Salvador or a detention facility in the U.S., he should be locked up,' DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to CNN Friday. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has also insisted on labeling Abrego as a criminal. Xinis on Sunday wrote in a legal opinion that allegations against Abrego were 'vague' and 'uncorroborated' –– and that in any case, he was under protected status. 'As defendants acknowledge, they had no legal authority to arrest him, no justification to detain him, and no grounds to send him to El Salvador — let alone deliver him into one of the most dangerous prisons in the Western Hemisphere,' she wrote. Abrego's arrest has sent shockwaves through his Central American community in Maryland, whose members told CNN they have been unfairly targeted by the administration or labeled as gang members without evidence. Salvadoran community members, including those who hold green cards or visas, say they have felt unsafe since Abrego's arrest as they could – at a moment's notice – be deported to a country where they may face life-threatening danger. As one of the collateral effects of the case, the Department of Justice has placed US Attorney Erez Reuveni on leave after he expressed frustration at not being able to answer key questions from a judge over the mistaken deportation. Asked why the US couldn't simply ask for Abrego's return, Reuveni said, 'The first thing I did when I got this case on my desk is ask my clients the same question,' adding that he did not get a direct answer. Attorney General Pam Bondi took issue with how Reuveni handled the case in court, saying, in a statement to CNN, that 'every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States. Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.' In another momentary upset for the government, a federal judge in Boston has transferred the case against Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk to Vermont, after the Turkish national was arrested and taken to a Louisiana jail pending deportation. Judge Denise J. Casper last week denied the government's motion to transfer Öztürk's case to the Western District of Louisiana and ruled that her order to stop Öztürk's deportation stands. A status update for Öztürk's case is expected to come on Monday. After being arrested in Boston last month, the Turkish doctoral student was moved across multiple state lines as part of a 'highly unusual' and 'secretive' attempt to keep her from accessing her attorney or being near her home, her attorneys said last week. In documents filed with the federal district court in Boston, attorneys for Öztürk accused the federal government of targeting her because of her advocacy for Palestinian rights, which they pointed out would be a violation of Öztürk's constitutionally protected right to free speech. 'While the trauma ICE has inflicted on her for writing an op-ed is irreparable, this is the first step towards bringing her home,' attorney Sidra Mahfooz said in a statement to CNN. More than two dozen international students at universities across the country are known to have their visas revoked so far, with several colleges still seeking answers behind the reasons for the move. The American Council on Education, an organization that spearheads public policy and research at schools, requested a briefing from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department regarding visa revocations of international students. At least five international students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst had their visas revoked last week, the university said Friday. While two international students at the University of Texas Austin and a 'small number' of students at the University of Cincinnati had their student visas revoked or legal status terminated. In California, at least 15 students or recent graduates from the University of California system and Stanford University had their student visas revoked. Harvard University said Sunday that a recent records review revealed five current and previous students have had their visas revoked, according to an announcement sent to the university's community members. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday announced the US would begin suspending visas of all South Sudanese nationals and block new arrivals –– a decision that could affect the status of Duke University's basketball player Khaman Maluach, the Blue Devils' starting center and NBA hopeful. 'It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,' Rubio said in a statement. 'Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.' Under the Biden administration, South Sudanese people were granted temporary protected status until May 3, 2025, but since taking office, President Donald Trump has moved to curb protections for migrants already living in the United States as part of his crackdown on immigration. Rubio alleged South Sudan, which has been plagued with civil unrest since splitting from Sudan in 2011, is not accepting back its citizens 'in a timely manner' as the US 'seeks to remove them.' In a statement sent to several news outlets, Duke University spokesman Frank Tramble said the school is 'looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand the implications for Duke students.' Harvard Professor Ricardo Hausmann, a Venezuelan-born economist, said on X that Rubio's announcement 'transforms every non-US citizen into a potential hostage of the US government to be used as leverage over foreign states.'
CNN
07-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
As Trump officials near deadline to return man deported to El Salvador, a group is demanding answers on student deportations
The Trump administration has until 11:59 p.m. Monday to return to the United States a Maryland man who the government admits was accidentally deported to a high-security prison in El Salvador. District Judge Paula Xinis on Sunday rejected efforts from the Trump administration to pause an order for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, claiming the removal of the Salvadoran metal worker was 'wholly lawless,' and a 'grievous error.' Xinis asserted on Sunday that her order remained 'in full force and effect.' The Department of Justice has asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to put the ruling on hold. Abrego, whose attorneys say fled gang violence in El Salvador more than a decade ago, has been sent to CECOT, the country's notorious mega prison. He was pulled over by federal agents and arrested on March 12, while his 5-year-old child sat in the back seat of his car. The government initially alleged Abrego was part of the MS-13 gang, but there is not a court case linking him to the group. Abrego's case is just one of hundreds caught in legal crossfires with the US government as the administration continues to slash immigration numbers and deport migrants –– whether they entered the US legally or illegally. It is, however, the first time the Trump administration has admitted to an error related to its recent deportation flights to El Salvador. The fraught legal battle is also taking place amid a sudden round of visa revocations among international students at some of the country's top universities, with college officials left unprepared and searching for answers from the government. As we enter another week of Trump's sweeping immigration clampdown, here's what to expect in the coming days: Years prior to his arrest, Abrego had been deemed a gang member by the Prince George's County Police Department in part because he was wearing a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie, and on the word of an informant who said that he was an active member of MS-13 –– an allegation his attorneys continually denied, according to a recent court filing. In 2019, an immigration judge granted Abrego protected status, prohibiting the federal government from sending him to El Salvador. Despite the government's acknowledgment of the mistake, the US Department of Homeland Security also claims he is involved in human trafficking. 'Whether he is in El Salvador or a detention facility in the U.S., he should be locked up,' DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to CNN Friday. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has also insisted on labeling Abrego as a criminal. Xinis on Sunday wrote in a legal opinion that allegations against Abrego were 'vague' and 'uncorroborated' –– and that in any case, he was under protected status. 'As defendants acknowledge, they had no legal authority to arrest him, no justification to detain him, and no grounds to send him to El Salvador — let alone deliver him into one of the most dangerous prisons in the Western Hemisphere,' she wrote. Abrego's arrest has sent shockwaves through his Central American community in Maryland, whose members told CNN they have been unfairly targeted by the administration or labeled as gang members without evidence. Salvadoran community members, including those who hold green cards or visas, say they have felt unsafe since Abrego's arrest as they could – at a moment's notice – be deported to a country where they may face life-threatening danger. As one of the collateral effects of the case, the Department of Justice has placed US Attorney Erez Reuveni on leave after he expressed frustration at not being able to answer key questions from a judge over the mistaken deportation. Asked why the US couldn't simply ask for Abrego's return, Reuveni said, 'The first thing I did when I got this case on my desk is ask my clients the same question,' adding that he did not get a direct answer. Attorney General Pam Bondi took issue with how Reuveni handled the case in court, saying, in a statement to CNN, that 'every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States. Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.' In another momentary upset for the government, a federal judge in Boston has transferred the case against Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk to Vermont, after the Turkish national was arrested and taken to a Louisiana jail pending deportation. Judge Denise J. Casper last week denied the government's motion to transfer Öztürk's case to the Western District of Louisiana and ruled that her order to stop Öztürk's deportation stands. A status update for Öztürk's case is expected to come on Monday. After being arrested in Boston last month, the Turkish doctoral student was moved across multiple state lines as part of a 'highly unusual' and 'secretive' attempt to keep her from accessing her attorney or being near her home, her attorneys said last week. In documents filed with the federal district court in Boston, attorneys for Öztürk accused the federal government of targeting her because of her advocacy for Palestinian rights, which they pointed out would be a violation of Öztürk's constitutionally protected right to free speech. 'While the trauma ICE has inflicted on her for writing an op-ed is irreparable, this is the first step towards bringing her home,' attorney Sidra Mahfooz said in a statement to CNN. More than two dozen international students at universities across the country are known to have their visas revoked so far, with several colleges still seeking answers behind the reasons for the move. The American Council on Education, an organization that spearheads public policy and research at schools, requested a briefing from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department regarding visa revocations of international students. At least five international students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst had their visas revoked last week, the university said Friday. While two international students at the University of Texas Austin and a 'small number' of students at the University of Cincinnati had their student visas revoked or legal status terminated. In California, at least 15 students or recent graduates from the University of California system and Stanford University had their student visas revoked. Harvard University said Sunday that a recent records review revealed five current and previous students have had their visas revoked, according to an announcement sent to the university's community members. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday announced the US would begin suspending visas of all South Sudanese nationals and block new arrivals –– a decision that could affect the status of Duke University's basketball player Khaman Maluach, the Blue Devils' starting center and NBA hopeful. 'It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,' Rubio said in a statement. 'Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.' Under the Biden administration, South Sudanese people were granted temporary protected status until May 3, 2025, but since taking office, President Donald Trump has moved to curb protections for migrants already living in the United States as part of his crackdown on immigration. Rubio alleged South Sudan, which has been plagued with civil unrest since splitting from Sudan in 2011, is not accepting back its citizens 'in a timely manner' as the US 'seeks to remove them.' In a statement sent to several news outlets, Duke University spokesman Frank Tramble said the school is 'looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand the implications for Duke students.' Harvard Professor Ricardo Hausmann, a Venezuelan-born economist, said on X that Rubio's announcement 'transforms every non-US citizen into a potential hostage of the US government to be used as leverage over foreign states.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Where Does Kilmar Abrego Garcia Get His Due Process?
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S RECENT admission that officials made a mistake in sending an undocumented Salvadoran to a prison in his native country as part of its deport-now/ask-questions-later policy is more than a story of one man's tragedy. Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case poses a direct challenge to the bedrock principle of the right to due process. Our Founding Fathers understood the dangers of the government pitting its resources and power against individuals. They knew that only by providing individuals protection to constrain government overreach could they ensure liberty for the future. The Fifth Amendment's guarantee that 'No person . . . shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law' prohibits exactly the kinds of actions taken against Abrego. After President Trump signed an executive order invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act last month, ICE rounded up 238 alleged gang members (i.e., people the administration has asserted are gang members whether or not they have actually been charged with any crimes in court) including Abrego and deported them to El Salvador, handing them directly to Salvadoran authorities who imprisoned them all in an infamous 'mega-prison.' Abrego was not given any hearing before a court or administrative body before being summarily whisked away and thrown in one of the most notorious jails in the world. Worse, a standing order prohibited Abrego's removal from the United States to El Salvador. To get the best coverage of all the major issues of Trump 2.0—from immigration to the economy and the rule of law—become a Bulwark+ member. In response to a suit subsequently filed by Abrego's father, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the validity of a 2019 order barring his removal to El Salvador. Nonetheless, having done so, the administration now claims it has no power to get him back from Salvadoran custody. Or as El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele, a Trump ally and self-described 'dictator,' taunted after a district court judge ordered the planes carrying the deportees to turn back: 'Oopsie… Too late.' Abrego's case has raised eyebrows, even among some Trump supporters. Podcaster Joe Rogan warned, 'The thing is, you have to get scared that people who are not criminals are getting lassoed up and deported and sent to, like, Salvadoran prisons.' Of course, the way to protect against deporting the 'wrong people' is to honor due process protections that are accorded even undocumented immigrants. (There are some limitations to due process for the expedited removal of aliens, but Abrego's case fits none of them.) Agents picked up Abrego, an apprentice sheet metal worker at the University of Maryland, on March 12 while he was driving with his five-year-old son. The ostensible reason they targeted Abrego is that he had been apprehended in 2019 and accused of being a gang member. Despite the administration's claims, the only 'evidence' tying Abrego to gang activity was the word of a confidential informant in 2019. Even at that time, the government did not produce any corroboration, nor has it at any time since. This, of course, is the problem with denying due process: The accused cannot offer contrary evidence or face his accuser. Had he been able to do so, Abrego might have produced evidence (as he did during his 2019 proceedings) that, 'Beginning around 2006, gang members had stalked, hit, and threatened to kidnap and kill [Abrego] in order to coerce his parents to succumb to their increasing demands for extortion,' which led him to flee to the United States in the first place. That information was enough for the judge to issue an order releasing him from custody and prohibiting the government from sending Abrego to El Salvador because it was 'more likely than not that he would be persecuted by gangs' there. Abrego might also have challenged the confidential informant's claim that he was a member of an MS-13 gang in Long Island—a place his lawyer said he never lived. But Abrego never got that chance. Apparently, the only lesson the Trump administration learned in the years between Abrego's first and second apprehension is that due process is a hindrance to the deportation of 11 million people, which is why they are so openly flouting it now. Although Abrego entered the United States illegally, he has no criminal record, either here or in El Salvador. He appears to have led a typical immigrant life in Maryland—keeping his nose clean, working construction, even gaining entry into a union apprenticeship program. He married a U.S. citizen with whom he has an American child. Yet, he remains incarcerated in a foreign prison that holds some of the most violent criminals in the hemisphere, including, perhaps, some of the very people who threatened him and his family more than a decade ago. He is not alone. Others sent to El Salvador without due process include a Venezuelan make-up artist and several men who were identified as members of Tren de Aragua simply because they bore tattoos of family members, sports teams, or even religious symbols (raising issues under the First Amendment in addition to the Fifth Amendment). Due process doesn't exist to protect criminals. Rather, it exists to make sure the government is doing its job accurately, fairly, and lawfully. If due process doesn't protect Abrego—if the admittedly mistaken word of someone somewhere in the vast government bureaucracy is enough to pluck a man from Maryland and deliver him to a foreign prison in mere days—what is there to protect lawful immigrants, American citizens, or anyone? Share
