Donald Trump on Saturday made a statement that experts said is contrary to his previous.
The Trump Administration over the weekend confirmed that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant who lived in the U.S. legally with a work permit and was erroneously deported to El Salvador, was alive.
But according to Abrego Garcia’s lawyers, the DOJ lawyers should be held in contempt because they still haven’t outlined steps taken to facilitate his return, as has been ordered by the Supreme Court.
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Enter Trump, who then made a comment on Truth Social.
“Looking forward to seeing President Bukele, of El Salvador, on Monday! Our Nations are working closely together to eradicate terrorist organizations, and build a future of Prosperity. President Bukele has graciously accepted into his Nation’s custody some of the most violent alien enemies of the World and, in particular, the United States,” Trump wrote. “These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation, and their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!”
This statement, according to multiple experts, is a “retreat” from his earlier position.
Politico’s Josh Gerstein reported on social media, “JUST IN: Trump retreats from suggestion he’d bring wrongly-deported man back if courts require it, says all deportees in El Salvador ‘in sole custody’ of that country.”
Legal analyst Anna Bower said, “Trump now saying — contrary to his previous comments and those of various federal officials — that people removed from the U.S. to El Salvador are in the ‘sole custody’ of El Salvador.”
Politico reporter Kyle Cheney added, “Trump seems to say for the first time that U.S. lacks ability to recover those sent to El Salvador if government deports someone erroneously.”
“Says it’s totally up to Bukele. Seems to leave out that he could … ask Bukele to help fix an error,” Cheney added.
Cheney further said, “Trump’s comment is a walkback from yesterday when he suggested he had the ability to recover someone from El Salvador and would if the Supreme Court told him to. Abrego Garcia’s lawyers cited those comments just two hours ago as proof there is a way.”
