Story perspectives

Judge Frustrated as Deportation Delays Hit Salvadoran Man

10/11/2025

Summary

Story summary

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being held by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement as authorities seek his deportation.
He was previously deported to El Salvador despite a court order protecting him from removal due to persecution fears.
His attorneys say the Trump administration delays deportation to Costa Rica, his preferred destination.
Abrego Garcia's case has drawn frustration from United States District Judge Paula Xinis over the government's inaction.

History

Historical Context

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 3, abolished national origin quotas that had favored Northern and Western Europeans since the 1920s. This landmark legislation increased immigration from Latin America, with over 200,000 Salvadorans entering the U.S. by the 1980s, and continues to shape contemporary immigration debates, as seen in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation case.

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Story summary

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being held by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement as authorities seek his deportation.
He was previously deported to El Salvador despite a court order protecting him from removal due to persecution fears.
His attorneys say the Trump administration delays deportation to Costa Rica, his preferred destination.
Abrego Garcia's case has drawn frustration from United States District Judge Paula Xinis over the government's inaction.

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