GREENBELT, Md. — A federal decide Tuesday ordered depositions from a number of Trump officers, blasting the administration for failing to take any steps to safe the return of a Maryland man wrongly deported to a Salvadoran jail.
Throughout a listening to, U.S. District Court docket Choose Paula Xinis repeatedly clashed with Drew Ensign, an lawyer with the Justice Division, because the decide contended the federal government had flouted her orders demanding updates on efforts to facilitate Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return.
“What the document reveals is that nothing has been executed. Nothing. I requested for stories from people with direct data and I’ve gotten little or no info of any worth,” the decide mentioned, noting that she gave “a very simple directive” for updates on steps the federal government had taken.
Xinis, an Obama appointee, mentioned she was holding off at this juncture on deciding whether or not the federal government ought to be held in contempt however would nonetheless rule down the street.
For now, the decide ordered the administration to reply to interrogatories and doc manufacturing requests. She additionally ordered the 4 authorities officers who signed affidavits within the case to sit down for depositions by April 23, giving Abrego Garcia’s attorneys an opportunity to query key immigration officers within the administration.
However Ensign signaled the administration could assert authorized privileges to keep away from not less than one of many depositions. He additionally advised the federal government could enchantment Xinis’s order, saying “we dont believe discovery is appropriate.”
“You lost. This is now about the scope of the remedy,” Xinis mentioned, including that there was nothing to enchantment.
Abrego Garcia was protected underneath a 2019 immigration courtroom ruling from being deported to El Salvador, and the Trump administration has acknowledged mistakenly deporting him there final month. Citing an informant, the administration accuses the person of being part of MS-13, however Abrego Garcia’s household contests any gang ties.
The listening to was largely centered on whether or not the Trump administration had complied with a Supreme Court docket ruling that largely upheld an earlier order from Xinis, saying the administration should “facilitate” his return from CECOT, a infamous jail in El Salvador identified by its acronym in Spanish.
Ensign mentioned Xinis ought to take into account the time period within the narrower sense utilized in immigration legislation, suggesting the U.S. may solely assist the imprisoned man if he had been in a position to escape CECOT and current himself earlier than U.S. officers.
The Trump administration had additionally argued that they’re unable to push a overseas nation to launch somebody of their custody — although the U.S. has paid El Salvador $6 million to imprison Abrego Garcia and greater than 200 different males at CECOT.
“If he appears at a port of entry or U.S. Embassy we will facilitate his return,” Ensign mentioned.
Xinis responded that the argument “flies in the face of the plain meaning of the word.”
“The bottom line is it was a very simple directive. My question, that the high court squarely affirmed I can ask, is what have you done? I’ve gotten nothing. I’ve gotten no real response, nor have I gotten any legitimate reason.”
Ensign additionally pointed to an Oval Workplace assembly between President Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele by which the Central American chief mentioned he wouldn’t return Abrego Garcia.
Xinis mentioned she didn’t perceive why the Justice Division submitted a transcript of the assembly, because it didn’t reply her query about what efforts had been being undertaken. A portion of the assembly was on digicam, in entrance of reporters.
“No press release is going to move the court,” she mentioned.
Xinis advised a quick tempo for the depositions and overview of discovery — one thing that will in the end put her on a path to figuring out whether or not to carry anybody from the Trump administration in contempt.
“We’re going to move. There will be no tolerance for gamesmanship and grandstanding,” she mentioned.
“There are no business hours while we do this — there are going to be two intense weeks of discovery,” she added later.
“Cancel vacation, cancel other appointments. I’m usually pretty good about that in my courtroom, but not this time. It won’t be a convenience issue.”
The listening to fell precisely one month since Abrego Garcia was placed on a flight to El Salvador, and his household has not been in a position to attain him since.
Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Abrego Garcia’s spouse, addressed his absence forward of the listening to, noting how a lot he was missed by the couple’s three youngsters.
“You should have been here leading our Easter prayers. Instead I find myself pleading the with Trump administration and the Bukele administration: Stop playing political games with the life of Kilmar. Our family is torn apart during this scary time and our children miss their dad so much.”
Up to date 5:33 p.m.
