Deportee’s Lawyers Push for Contempt Proceedings Despite His Return

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia’s lawyers accused the Trump administration of spending months “engaged in an elaborate, all-of-government effort to defy court orders.”

Upon Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States for facing criminal charges following a wrongful deportation to El Salvador, the legal battle for the Trump administration is far from over. Despite complying with the court order to repatriate Abrego Garcia, his attorneys in the civil case vehemently urged the judge to proceed with contempt proceedings against Trump officials. Accusing the administration of defying court orders through a prolonged effort, the lawyers filed scathing court documents in Federal District Court in Maryland.

Highlighting the recent criminal indictment against Abrego Garcia in Nashville, which implicated him in a conspiracy related to MS-13, the attorneys portrayed the administration’s actions as contumacious. They criticized the government for previously claiming an inability to bring Abrego Garcia back, now debunked by his return to face charges. Moreover, they condemned the indictment as a strategic move by the Justice Department to avoid sanctions for non-compliance with court orders in the civil case overseen by Judge Paula Xinis.

The attorneys asserted that despite developments in the criminal case, Judge Xinis retains the authority to penalize the administration for its past misconduct. They emphasized the urgent need to hold the government accountable for its blatant defiance of court directives, suggesting that the stain on the Constitution demands meaningful redress. With preparations underway to seek sanctions against the administration, the legal battle surrounding Abrego Garcia’s case is poised to continue, driving the pursuit of justice and accountability in the face of executive branch disregard for judicial authority.