The immigration lawyers representing Kilmar Abrego Garcia in his Maryland-based lawsuit claiming the federal government illegally deported him in March on Thursday submitted a filing seeking sanctions after their client was returned to the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys claim the federal government failed to comply with its discovery obligations, and that District Court Judge Paula Xinis should consider appointing a special master to oversee personal devices belonging to government officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The motion is the latest to be filed by Abrego Garcia’s attorneys after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the federal government to “facilitate” his return from El Salvador, citing the admission by a fired DOJ attorney that the government deported him “in error.” It claims that the government ignored or obfuscated its responses to their attempts at discovery, and often provided bad faith responses when it gave them at all, leaving the Trump administration open to sanctions.
Among other requests for sanctions, Abrego Garcia’s attorneys suggested Xinis could compel federal officials to comply with discovery, or alternatively, could appoint a special master to investigate alleged willful noncompliance by federal officials, including Bondi, using their personal devices.
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys wrote that Xinis, “could appoint a special master to investigate the Government’s willful noncompliance,” which would allow the court to order “the personal devices of key officials – such as Bondi,” to be turned over to the judge for private review.
The filing also includes requests for Xinis to force the Trump administration to reveal details about its agreement to deport illegal immigrants to El Salvador. She was also asked to impose fines against the government, individual government officials, and hold the federal government in civil contempt of court.
They additionally request Xinis issue a ruling declaring the government failed to take steps to facilitate Abrego Garica’s return, and to prohibit the Trump administration from rebutting this claim.
Notably, the final deportation order issued by an immigration judge for Abrego Garcia in 2019 specifically barred the federal government from deporting him to one of two nations, either Guatemala or El Salvador. Top officials with the Trump administration have also disputed the claim that Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported.
Abrego Garcia was returned to the country by the DOJ last Friday, when Bondi unsealed an indictment accusing Abrego Garcia of spending nearly a decade embroiled in a criminal conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants, including gang members and minors, throughout the United States.
The Tennessee Star was first to report that Abrego Garcia was observed committing traffic violations by Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) in November 2022, and that despite troopers suspecting him of being engaged in human trafficking, the “Biden-era FBI” instructed THP to release the Salvadoran man.
A protest has been planned by progressive activists and nonprofits outside the courthouse where Abrego Garcia will be arraigned on Friday.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “AG Pam Bondi” by DOJ and image “Kilmar Abrego Garcia” is by Tennessee Highway Patrol.
No ,Abrego Garcia should not be fed! This person needs to be deported for smuggling gang members & children into our country. We can’t even feed & house our own American people. We need to close our doors. Get our own house in order, then let people from other countries come in the legal way as our ancestors did. President Trump is doing the right things for America. Remember we have to be patient, it has only been 6 months, he has done good so far. Things take time. I pray our children get the nourishment they need. Our families get homes to live in. Not the drug addicts who choose to stay on the streets and not work. They can just go do their own thing. But I mean families who lost their homes over the last 4 years due to covid and Biden administration. Seeing all the drugs being confenscated at the borders is crazy. God bless our border patrol with their drug dogs, they are doing a wonderful job. And our police officers, whom love their jobs protecting US citizens, yes there are officers out there who do the job for the wrong reason. They need to put in jail like the rest of the criminals. God bless everyone who Love the USA & President Trump & Family making our country better as each day passes.
The guy had an outstanding order for deportation. He is here illegally. What else does one need to prove to get him out of here PERMANENTLY?
Send him back. Next