Kilmar Abrego Garcia faces potential deportation to Uganda after rejecting plea deal
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia was released from criminal custody in Tennessee after facing human smuggling charges.
- His attorneys claim the government is coercing him to accept a guilty plea under threat of deportation to Uganda.
- The situation raises questions about the administration’s motives and the implications for Abrego Garcia’s safety.
In Tennessee, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, was released from criminal custody amidst impending deportation threats from the Trump administration. The administration considers deportation to Uganda after Abrego Garcia previously rejected an offer to plead guilty to human smuggling charges, which would have allowed him to relocate to Costa Rica post-sentence. On Friday afternoon, following his release, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers received a notice from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about the potential deportation within 72 hours. The attorney's filing revealed that the conditions set forth by the government were perceived as coercive, demanding that Abrego Garcia make a choice between a guilty plea and deportation to a country where his safety might be at risk. This circumstance comes after Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported earlier this year and subsequently returned to the U.S. to face charges, intertwined with claims he is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, which his lawyers vehemently deny. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2027.