(The Hill) — The federal government said it would deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he declined a plea deal, according to court filings.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors extended an offer to Abrego Garcia for a chance to “live freely” in Costa Rica with refugee or residency status after serving his sentence for human smuggling, as part of a plea deal, according to his attorneys in documents filed on Saturday.
However, on Friday, Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador from his home country, rejected the proposal to return to his family in Maryland. He had been held in a Tennessee prison.
After arriving back in Maryland, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers were later informed that he must visit an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Baltimore on Monday, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) planning to deport him to Uganda.
Uganda is among the most recent nations to agree with the Trump administration to accept deportees. However, this move has been criticized due to concerns about human rights issues in the East African nation.
“The only thing different between Thursday’s offer of Costa Rica and Friday’s plan for Uganda was Mr. Abrego’s rightful choice for release under the Bail Reform Act and the Fifth Amendment,” stated Abrego Garcia’s legal team.
“The interpretation of these events appears clear: the [Justice Department], DHS, and ICE are manipulating their authorities to pressure Mr. Abrego into either accepting a plea deal for some level of safety, or facing removal to Uganda, where his safety and freedom are uncertain.”
The Friday release from prison is the first time Abrego Garcia has been outside custody since March, when he was deported due to an “administrative error” and sent to a megaprison in El Salvador despite an immigration judge barring his return to his home country in 2019.
The Trump administration has previously mused about deporting Abrego Garcia to a third country.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday condemned the El Salvadorian native’s release, calling it a “new low.”
“Today, we reached a new low with this publicity hungry Maryland judge mandating this illegal alien who is a MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator be allowed free,” she said in a statement.
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys did not offer any additional comments on the matter, and DHS did not immediately respond to inquiries.
