WASHINGTON DC . US authorities have announced that the embattled Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia is going to be deported to Uganda .
Garcia ,a convicted gang member and alleged human trafficker is currently a persona non grata in the US .
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has taken Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national with a criminal history, into custody today and that he will be deported to Uganda.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, “Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been in the United States illegally and has a documented record of serious criminal activity. ICE will continue to enforce the law and ensure dangerous individuals are removed from our communities.”
Media reports indicate that Garcia handed himself in to ICE.
Homeland Security officials allege that in 2019, the Prince George’s County Police Gang Unit validated Garcia as a member of the violent MS-13 gang.
“When he was arrested, Garcia was in possession of large amounts of cash and drugs, and he was with other confirmed MS-13 members,” the agency stated.
Authorities cite a December 1, 2022, incident in Tennessee, where Garcia was stopped for speeding in a vehicle carrying eight passengers with no luggage.
“The circumstances suggested a potential human trafficking operation,” said a Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesperson. Garcia reportedly misled officers about his English proficiency and claimed the vehicle’s owner was his employer, adding, “I work in construction.”
Court records further allege domestic violence and exploitation. Jennifer Vasquez, Garcia’s wife, petitioned for an order of protection, claiming he “punched me, scratched me, and ripped my shirt,” leaving visible bruises. Additional filings allege that Garcia solicited nude photographs from a minor.
The planned deportation to Uganda comes under a US-Uganda agreement allowing certain deportees to be sent abroad.
However, that agreement appears to have the caveat on criminal records and with the US maintaining that Garcia was a criminal alien, it remains to be seen how then he would fit into the agreement.
Ms Margaret Kafeero, head of public affairs at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the US has to formally request clearance for the deportation of Garcia.
Garcia’s legal history in the US remains contentious. In April 2025, US District Judge Paula Xinis ruled that his prior deportation to El Salvador was illegal, calling it “wholly lawless” and stating it “shocks the conscience.”
The judge ordered his return to the United States, noting that the government had presented no credible evidence linking him to gang activity.
Following the ruling, Garcia was released under home supervision in Maryland.
However, ICE maintains plans to deport him to a third country. His attorney said, “This deportation attempt is retaliatory. Garcia is being punished for challenging an unlawful deportation. We will fight this every step of the way.”
The case underscores the complex intersection of criminal enforcement, human trafficking concerns, and international deportation agreements, with Garcia’s removal to Uganda still pending both legal and diplomatic approval.