Monrovia, Liberia / Silver Spring, Maryland – November 9, 2025, 06:01 AM IST
The Trump administration has escalated its aggressive immigration enforcement strategy, filing a motion on Saturday to lift a federal court order that had temporarily blocked the deportation of Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the West African nation of Liberia. The decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and reported by AF Post on X, marks a significant step toward Garcia's removal under a contentious third-country deportation provision.
Garcia, born in San Salvador in 1995, became a high-profile case after an administrative error led to his initial deportation to El Salvador in March 2025. This occurred despite a 2019 court settlement granting him protection from return due to credible threats of gang violence from the MS-13 organization. While the U.S. government later acknowledged the mistake and initially made efforts to bring him back, the administration has since shifted course, alleging Garcia’s involvement in human smuggling activities—a claim he denies.
The proposed deportation to Liberia, a country with no apparent historical or legal connection to Garcia, reflects the Trump administration’s expanded use of third-country deportations under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This rarely invoked provision allows DHS to remove migrants to countries other than their origin when return is deemed "impracticable, inadvisable, or impossible." Liberia’s agreement to accept deportees, reportedly secured through diplomatic pressure or financial incentives, has raised eyebrows among immigration advocates.
The case is overseen by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland, who in July ruled that Garcia could not be immediately detained for deportation upon release from pretrial custody in Tennessee. Judge Xinis also mandated a 72-hour notice period if the government intends to deport him to a third country, ensuring due process. The latest motion by the DHS seeks to lift this injunction, immediately reigniting debates over whether such third-country policies violate international human rights standards.
The White House has framed the move as part of a broader effort to "protect the American people against invasion," citing a January 2025 executive order aimed at reversing prior administration policies on illegal immigration. However, Garcia’s case—highlighted by an earlier administrative error and ongoing legal challenges—could set a precedent for how such deportations are implemented.
Images circulating on social media, juxtaposing a somber Garcia in a Maryland courtroom with a vibrant street scene from Monrovia’s Benson Street Center, underscore the contrast between Garcia’s current legal limbo and the unfamiliar destination awaiting him. Questions about Liberia’s official language (English alongside indigenous languages like Kpelle and Bassa) and the rationale behind the choice of destination have also surfaced online. Reactions on X have been mixed, ranging from memes mocking the administration’s shifting stance to expressions of frustration that deportations are not extensive enough.
As the legal battle unfolds, immigration advocates are preparing to challenge the motion, arguing that Garcia’s deportation to Liberia lacks justification and risks exposing him to further harm. The outcome may have far-reaching implications for the hundreds of migrants caught in similar third-country agreements, with nearly a dozen nations now cooperating with the U.S. on such arrangements. Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s fate remains contingent on the Maryland court’s next ruling.
09 November
