MS-13 gangster, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, has been notified by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that he may soon be deported to Uganda.
Abrego was released Friday from the Putnam County Jail near Nashville, Tennessee. He had been detained there since June, when he was returned to the United States after being deported earlier this year to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison.
The facility, known for its violent atmosphere and inhumane conditions, houses thousands of suspected gang members and is widely considered one of the harshest detention centers in the world.
According to sources familiar with the case, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has informed Abrego that he “may be removed to Uganda no less than 72 hours absent weekends,” in keeping with the agency’s standard procedure requiring 72 hours’ notice before deporting someone to a third country.
Abrego has been a illegal immigrant for years. Originally from El Salvador, he was granted a withholding of removal order in 2019, which protected him from deportation to his home country on the grounds that he faced the risk of persecution and violence from gangs there.
Abrego’s lawyers have already filed notices with the judge in the Middle District of Tennessee, alerting the court that ICE has indicated its intent to deport him to Uganda.
The timing of the notice has further complicated his legal situation. Abrego currently faces criminal charges brought by the Department of Justice, including conspiracy to unlawfully transport illegal aliens for financial gain and unlawful transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain.
He has pleaded not guilty, and a trial date has been scheduled for January. However, if he is deported to Uganda, it is unclear how the trial could proceed. Legal experts say removing him from the country before his trial raises serious questions about due process and whether the government is undermining its own case by making him unavailable to face charges.
In a public statement, Abrego described the moment as one of profound relief and gratitude. “Today has been a very special day because I have seen my family for the first time in more than 160 days,” he said. “I’d like to thank all the people who have supported me because after this long time I have witnessed that so many people have been by my side with such positivity. Today I am grateful to God because He has heard me and today I am out. We are steps closer to justice, but justice has not been fully served.”