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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The legal battle continues over the wrongful deportation of a Maryland man.
A federal judge is now calling for Trump administration officials to testify over whether they’re complying with a court order to “facilitate” his return.
A U.S. district judge said Tuesday Trump administration officials have defied the Supreme Court and “done nothing” to return 29-year-old Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
The judge is now ordering officials from ice, homeland security and the state department to give sworn testimony.
“This is still a win, and this is still progress,” said Garcia’s attorney Rina Gandhi.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s attorney spoke outside court Tuesday after the judge called for government officials to testify over whether they’re complying with the court order.
“They didn’t just say the word facilitate, they said facilitate his release from custody,” said Gandhi.
Earlier this month, the court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia and the Supreme Court agreed.
The Maryland man was wrongly deported to an El Salvador prison in mid-March.
The Trump administration called it an “administrative error” but maintains he was an MS-13 gang member.
Abrego Garcia’s lawyers say he’s not part of the gang and was never charged with a crime.
The White House is doubling down on the deportation. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt says it’s part of a broader effort to crack down on illegal immigration.
“There is never going to be a world in which this is an individual who’s going to live a peaceful life in Maryland,” said Leavitt.
Meanwhile, Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer, is pleading for his return.
Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said he’s flying to El Salvador Wednesday to check on Abrego Garcia and discuss his return.