Salvadoran president says he won’t return man accidentally deported from U.S.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele told the media during a joint appearance with President Donald Trump Monday that it would be impossible to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States. Bukele questioned how his country could smuggle a terrorist back into the United States. Bukele’s response came after the Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that the Trump administration must facilitate Abrego Garcia's removal from the Salvadoran terrorist prison and his return to the United States.

Why was he deported in the first place? Court documents show that the Trump administration admitted to mistakenly deporting Abrego Garcia through what it characterized as an administrative error. However, Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, Attorney General Pam Bondi said during Trump’s Monday media session with Bukele. The Trump administration would fulfill the SCOTUS order and facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return by providing him a plane ride back, but insisted it was up to the Salvadoran government whether or not Abrego Garcia would be released, Bondi said.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report for more details on Abrego Garcia’s case.