Foster Demands Trump Administration Comply with Supreme Court Order, Reverse Wrongful Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) joined 141 of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident who was wrongfully detained and deported to El Salvador last month. In the letter, the Members requested an immediate update on the administration’s plans to ensure Mr. Abrego Garcia’s safe return to the United States.

“The Supreme Court ordered the Trump Administration to facilitate Mr. Abrego Garcia’s return, yet we have seen no meaningful action or heard of any plans indicating their effort to comply. Mr. Abrego Garcia is a legal resident of the United States, and he is entitled to due process under the law,” said Foster. “The administration’s failure to correct this unlawful deportation is both morally indefensible and an overstep of their authority. The administration must act immediately to bring him home and ensure this never happens again.”

The letter reads: 

Dear President Trump: 

We write to you with grave concern about Kilmar Abrego Garcia of Beltsville, Maryland, who was wrongfully detained and deported to El Salvador last month. We respectfully request an immediate update on his wellbeing and detailed plans on how all relevant executive agencies plan to ensure his safe return to the United States. 

As you know, on March 12, 2025, Mr. Abrego Garcia was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with his 5-year-old son in the backseat of his car. Mr. Abrego Garcia was then deported, along with alleged Venezuelan and Salvadoran gang members, to El Salvador. It is our understanding that he is currently being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador. 

While Mr. Abrego Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador, he had legally been granted withholding of removal in 2019 by a United States immigration court based on his fear of persecution by gangs in El Salvador. He has no criminal record and has been residing in Maryland with his U.S. citizen wife and family. 

Your administration has admitted that Mr. Abrego Garcia’s removal was an “administrative error.” As such, the Supreme Court of the United States ordered, in a unanimous ruling, that your administration must “facilitate” Mr. Abrego Garcia’s “release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.” This would mean his return to the United States. Despite these clear instructions, the federal district court judge overseeing Mr. Abrego Garcia’s case has indicated your administration has made no effort to comply with the Supreme Court’s order.

As President, you have the authority to get Mr. Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. from El Salvador despite your administration’s insistence otherwise. If there is evidence of any wrongdoing by Mr. Abrego Garcia, he is entitled to a chance to contest such allegations. Mistakenly removing a U.S. resident that has protection from deportation legally granted to him by an immigration court and then making no effort to get him back not only places Mr. Abrego Garcia’s life in danger, but also violates the basic principles of due process and the rule of law. 

The U.S. government must comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling and do everything in its power to get Mr. Abrego Garcia back to his family in the United States as quickly as possible. We appreciate your urgent attention to this matter and we look forward to receiving your response.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

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