MS-13 Gang Member Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be Deported to African Country of Eswatini

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has notified Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a Salvadoran man currently detained in Virginia—that the administration now intends to deport him to Eswatini, a small landlocked nation in southern Africa. This replaces earlier plans to remove him to Uganda. The switch follows Abrego’s claim of fearing persecution in Uganda, a rationale the administration dismissed, noting he has expressed similar fears concerning over 20 other countries.

Abrego, who lived in Maryland for more than a decade, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year despite a 2019 court ruling that warned the move posed dangers due to gang threats. After being brought back to the U.S., he was charged with human smuggling—a charge his legal team argues is retaliatory, particularly after he declined a plea deal that would have sent him to Costa Rica.

Detaining Abrego again upon his return, ICE initially sought to deport him to Uganda. However, that plan was temporarily halted by Judge Paula Xinis, who ordered that Abrego be given the opportunity to challenge his removal, emphasizing the need for due process.

Now, ICE’s shift to Eswatini raises additional concerns. Abrego’s lawyers have voiced that Eswatini has not even been notified of his pending arrival. Moreover, Eswatini has previously accepted deportees from other countries—prompting international criticism over human rights issues and accusations that the country is being treated as a “dumping ground” for individuals with no ties there.

Abrego’s legal team maintains that the harsh coercion tactics and relocation to unfamiliar, potentially dangerous nations undermine constitutional norms and due process rights. The case continues to highlight tensions over the government’s immigration enforcement strategies and their alignment with human rights responsibilities.

SOURCE: GATEWAY PUNDIT