Members of the Prince George’s County Council are calling for the release of wrongfully deported county resident Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia from El Salvador.
U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials detained Abrego Garcia on March 12 and later deported him to El Salvador, the Associated Press reported. His deportation occurred despite a 2019 court order that prohibits sending him to his native country due to fear of gang persecution, according to the Associated Press.
Abrego Garcia is a resident of Beltsville, Maryland, where he lives with his wife — who is a U.S. citizen — and three children, the Associated Press reported. His connection to Prince George’s County has led county officials to speak out for his return.
District 3 council member Eric Olson told The Diamondback that the council is working to support Abrego Garcia’s family while advocating for his return.
“We’ve stood with the advocates. I’ve stood with his wife,” he said. “We’re all outraged.”
Following U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis’ order on April 4 for President Donald Trump’s administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return, a group of council members issued a statement in support of Xinis’ ruling and affirming their solidarity with Abrego Garcia’s family.
[Trump administration deports another Maryland man in violation of court settlement]
Multiple council members also attended a rally planned by CASA — an immigration advocacy organization — before the April 4 hearing to express their support, according to the statement.
On April 7, the U.S. justice department appealed Xinis’ order, which was upheld by the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. That same day, the justice department also appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which decided to temporarily pause the order.
Following the Supreme Court’s temporary pause of the order, council chair and District 8 council member Edward Burroughs and vice chair and District 7 council member Krystal Oriadha issued a second statement condemning the Supreme Court decision.
“It’s deeply troubling that Chief Justice Roberts would prioritize the Trump administration’s request over the well-being and rights of someone wrongfully removed from this country,” the statement read.
The Supreme Court later ordered the government to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s, which has not happened.
Despite acknowledging that Abrego Garcia’s deportation to El Salvador was “an administrative error,” the Trump administration said they will not make efforts to return him to the U.S., according to the Associated Press.
District 1 council member Thomas Dernoga, who represents Beltsville, expressed his concern about the Trump administration’s handling of Abgreo Garcia’s case.
“I just feel for the family,” Dernoga said to The Diamondback. “I’m concerned that you have what was clearly a supposed mistake and then an unconstitutional refusal to correct the mistake.”
Oriadha told The Diamondback that Abrego Garcia’s connection to Prince George’s County has shown residents that immigration decisions made by the federal government can still impact their local community.
[Sen. Chris Van Hollen meets with wrongly deported Maryland man in El Salvador]
“It was a reality check that it doesn’t matter that we’re in a predominantly blue state or even that here in Prince George’s County we’re represented by mostly people of color,” Oriadha said. “These things will touch our community just the same.”
As of 2023, close to 25 percent of Prince George’s County residents were born outside the country, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Dernoga said this case has caused uncertainty among the county’s immigrant population.
“People are afraid to go to work. They’re afraid to send their kids to school,” he said. “It’s very disruptive.”
While county officials can’t control the outcome of Abrego Garcia’s case, Oriadha said the council is examining existing legislation to ensure residents who are immigrants are protected on the local level.
She also hopes to expand funding for free legal aid services relating to immigration support for residents.
“I think it’s a tangible thing that we could do on the county level to ensure that people have the resources that they need,” Oriadha said.
