ICE Tries to Deport Man to Uganda After He Rejects Costa Rica Deal!

2025-08-24 00:00:33.917

Immigration officials plan to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he refused an offer to be sent to Costa Rica in exchange for pleading guilty to human smuggling charges. The Costa Rica offer, made late Thursday, required him to remain jailed and serve any sentence. After his release Friday, ICE notified his attorneys of the Uganda deportation, giving him until Monday morning to accept the Costa Rica deal. His lawyers filed a brief, including a letter from Costa Rica welcoming him as a legal immigrant, arguing the Uganda deportation is vindictive. The government responded that Abrego Garcia faces serious charges and must face consequences. Abrego Garcia's case gained attention after his mistaken deportation to El Salvador in March, despite a judge's ruling that he feared violence there. He was returned to the U.S. in June but detained on human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop. He pleaded not guilty and claimed the charges are retaliatory. His attorneys argue the Uganda deportation further proves this. Abrego Garcia, who has an American wife and children and lived in Maryland for years, was eligible for pretrial release but remained jailed due to fears of immediate deportation. ICE gave 72 hours' notice before deportation, as required by a recent Maryland ruling. Federal officials argue he can be deported due to illegal entry and a 2019 immigration judge ruling. His lawyer calls the government's actions an attempt to punish him by sending him to a country with human rights abuses where he doesn't speak the language.