The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has informed attorneys that it now intends to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Ghana, reversing earlier plans that had slated him for deportation to Eswatini or Uganda.
Abrego Garcia, a native of El Salvador, was previously deported in March to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, despite a 2019 court order that barred his return there on grounds of potential persecution. He was subsequently brought back to the U.S. in June to face charges of human smuggling in Tennessee, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
After his return, he was released to the custody of his brother in Maryland before being re-detained by Immigration authorities. The move to send him to Ghana comes after an immigration judge denied a motion last week by his legal team to reopen his case.
Attorneys for Abrego Garcia are scheduled to appear in court on Friday for an evidentiary hearing, during which government witnesses will present testimony regarding the steps and rationale for his proposed removal to Ghana.
