Big Update on Kilmar Abrego Garcia: Maryland man ‘alive’ in El Salvador prison

Trump administration officials confirmed that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, is ‘alive and secure’

Updated on: Apr 13, 2025, 05:19:07 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Trump administration officials confirmed that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, is ‘alive and secure’ in prison. This comes after a federal judge demanded that the government ‘facilitate’ Garcia's return to the United States and detail what steps it was taking.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was arrested last month and sent to El Salvador (via REUTERS)

“It is my understanding based on official reporting from our Embassy in San Salvador that Abrego Garcia is currently being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador. He is alive and secure in that facility. He is detained pursuant to the sovereign, domestic authority of El Salvador,” Michael G Kozak, a senior State Department official, said in the filing submitted minutes after a 5 PM deadline set by the judge.

Trump to meet El Salvador president

The official's statement comes after President Donald Trump revealed that he is set to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday.

"Our Nations are working closely together to eradicate terrorist organizations, and build a future of Prosperity. These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation, and their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!" Trump said on Truth Social.

A federal judge had slammed the Trump administration for defying the Supreme Court's orders to hold deportation of immigrants. State Department officials had until Saturday to provide an update in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case.

US District Judge Paula Xinis on Friday issued an order requiring the administration to disclose Garcia's ‘current physical location and custodial status’ and ‘what steps, if any, Defendants have taken (and) will take, and when, to facilitate’ his return.

While Kozak revealed that the Maryland man was safe, he did not detail what steps the Trump administration is taking to facilitate his return.

Abrego Garcia was arrested and removed to El Salvador last month after authorities accused him of having ties to the MS-13 gang. The 29-year-old is currently in the Salvadoran prison known as CECOT.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.