Costa Rica Will Accept Kilmar Abrego Garcia After US Sentence

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national facing human smuggling charges in Tennessee, was released from jail and is currently in Maryland awaiting trial. The Trump administration initially offered a deal to deport him to Costa Rica after he served a sentence if he pleaded guilty and remained jailed, but after he exercised his legal right to release, ICE announced plans to deport him to Uganda instead. Abrego's attorneys argue this shift is retaliatory and part of a coordinated federal effort to punish him for challenging his wrongful deportation to El Salvador earlier in 2025. The Costa Rican government has expressed willingness to accept Abrego Garcia after any U.S. criminal sentence, offering him refugee status or residency and assurances he will not face persecution or torture. The Department of Homeland Security condemned the defense's claims and maintains the government's position, highlighting the legal contention surrounding Abrego's case. His trial is scheduled for January 2027, and the case remains a focal point in discussions of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics.