KILMAR Abrego, a migrant once wrongfully deported to El Salvador, has again been detained by US immigration officials and now faces the extraordinary prospect of deportation to Uganda, a country with which he has no links.

Repeat detention reignites case

Abrego, 30, was mistakenly deported in March despite a 2019 ruling protecting him from removal to El Salvador, where he had shown credible fear of gang violence. That deportation, later acknowledged as an administrative failure, sparked outrage. He was subsequently returned to the United States in June to face charges of transporting undocumented migrants.

After pleading not guilty in Tennessee, Abrego was released. But during a scheduled check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Baltimore on Monday, he was taken back into custody—this time with officials indicating Uganda as his potential destination.

Uganda removal raises alarm

Abrego’s legal team says the choice of Uganda is a coercive tactic aimed at pushing him into a plea deal. They argue the government has floated alternative deportation options, including Costa Rica, if he were to plead guilty. Lawyers insist such manoeuvres violate due process and amount to retaliation for resisting prosecution.

A lawsuit has been filed seeking to block his removal and dismiss the underlying charges. His lawyers warn that deporting him to a country with no personal, cultural, or legal ties is both unlawful and dangerous.

Judicial safeguards in place

A Maryland judge has intervened, ruling that any deportation to a third country requires 72 hours’ advance notice and must comply with constitutional protections.

Wider political stakes

The Abrego case has become a lightning rod in debates over US immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump. Critics say it exposes systemic flaws and overreach in the deportation system, highlighting how migrants can be wrongly exiled and then threatened with removal to countries they have never known.

For supporters of tougher enforcement, the government’s pursuit of Abrego underscores its determination to prosecute migration-related crimes vigorously, even against individuals with existing court protections.

The outcome of Abrego’s legal battle could set a precedent on whether US authorities may use third-country deportations as leverage in immigration prosecutions—an issue now closely watched by rights groups, lawyers, and