On FOX News Wednesday night, Attorney General Pam Bondi continued to lie about the background and status of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, joining the lies spun by Stephen Miller on Monday.
Abrego Garcia received court protection in 2019, temporary protected status, during the first Trump Administration.
In October 2019, an immigration judge denied Abrego Garcia’s asylum request but granted him protection from being deported back to El Salvador because of a “well-founded fear” of gang persecution, according to his case. He was released, and ICE did not appeal (emphasis added).
Bondi falsely claims he is living “illegally in our country.” Instead, “the Department of Homeland Security issued him a work permit.”
There is no evidence that he has been in a gang. There is no evidence that he is a terrorist, as the President of El Salvador claimed without evidence Monday; Bondi repeated that claim today. In fact, “Abrego Garcia has never been charged with a crime, in the United States or El Salvador,” unlike the President.
Bondi is escalating the rhetoric against Abrego Garcia, who she calls "one of the top MS-13 members" and "a terrorist"
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) April 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Moreover, the Administration has admitted in court documents that Abrego Garcia was shipped out of the country due to an administrative error.
Abrego Garcia joined more than 200 other men that the Trump Administration has shipped to an El Salvadorian concentration camp. The US is (probably illegally) paying that country a reported $6,000,000 to house men illegally trafficked: rendition without due process.
The US Supreme Court decided unanimously last week to uphold a lower-court ruling ordering the Trump Administration to “facilitate” the Abrego Garci’s return to the U.S.
Yet on Monday, Stephen Miller claimed that the Supreme Court decided 9-0 in the Administration’s favor. “[I]t was a 9-0 [ruling], in our favor against the district court ruling,” Miller falsely claimed. His was a direct response to a question from President Trump.
Wednesday the Department of Justice acknowledged the “government’s prior clear and unequivocal notice to the Court regarding how the government will facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return within the contours of existing law and regulation.” And then had no update to report.
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com