Mistakenly Deported Salvadoran Returns US Faces Human Smuggling Charges

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant mistakenly deported from Maryland to El Salvador under President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, was flown back to the United States to face federal human smuggling charges. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Abrego Garcia is accused of transporting undocumented immigrants within the U.S. and is alleged to have operated a smuggling ring making over 100 trips between Texas and Maryland. Despite claims from the Trump administration that he was a member of the MS-13 gang, Abrego Garcia's lawyers deny this, and he had previously received legal protection against deportation. President Trump described Abrego Garcia as a "pretty bad guy" and supported his return as part of justice, while critics view the case as emblematic of the administration's aggressive, and sometimes flawed, immigration enforcement. Abrego Garcia appeared in federal court and will remain in custody pending his arraignment, with the possibility of deportation to El Salvador after serving any sentence. His case has sparked ongoing debate about due process and civil liberties in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.