After federal authorities acknowledged that a Maryland man had been wrongfully deported to El Salvador, the U.S. Justice Department suspended its attorney for stating in a federal court on Friday that he did not comprehend the government’s justification.
Erez Reuveni, a Justice Department veteran of almost 15 years, addressed U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis on Friday about Kilmar Abrego García. Last month, the Trump administration transferred the Salvadoran immigrant—who is married to a U.S. citizen—to an infamous mega-prison in El Salvador.
“We have nothing to say on the merits. We concede he should not have been removed to El Salvador, “We acknowledge he shouldn’t have been sent to El Salvador.”
Reuveni responded that he was unsure of the reason behind García’s detention. “That information has not been given to me. I don’t know,” he stated.
Due to his inability to “zealously advocate” for the US government, Reuveni, the acting deputy director for the Office of Immigration Litigation, has been placed on indefinite paid vacation.
“At my direction, every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States,” Attorney General Pam Bondi stated. “Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.”
Additionally, August Flentje, Reuveni’s supervisor, was placed on administrative leave for “failure to supervise a subordinate,” according to the reports.
The announcement followed Xinis’s bench ruling on Friday, which stated that the Trump administration had until Monday to make arrangements for García’s return to the United States. The Trump administration has maintained that it is unable to do so because the Salvadoran prison where he is being held is not under U.S. jurisdiction.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who is detaining suspected gang members at the Terrorism Confinement Center in his nation, has not indicated that he would be open to repatriating the American citizen.
“We suggest the judge contact President Bukele because we are unaware of the judge having jurisdiction or authority over the country of El Salvador,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated.
However, in a Sunday explanation of her bench decision, Xinis referred to the Trump administration’s “silence” in providing Reuveni with its justification as “telling.”
“They had no legal authority to arrest him, no justification to detain him, and no grounds to send him to El Salvador — let alone deliver him into one of the most dangerous prisons in the Western Hemisphere,” Xinis stated.
“Having confessed grievous error, the defendants now argue that this court lacks the power to hear this case, and they lack the power to order Abrego Garcia’s return. For the following reasons, their jurisdictional arguments fail as a matter of law.”
According to Xinis, the detainees were transferred to the prison and paid for by the United States, and they are being held there until “the United States’ decision on their long-term disposition.”
According to her, this suggests that the United States still has legal and practical authority over the detainees.
This information has been sourced from UPI.
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