Newly filed court documents are raising serious questions about how the U S government is handling the immigration case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
According to the filing, federal agencies pressured Abrego to take a guilty plea in exchange for deportation to Costa Rica, warning him that if he did not accept the deal by Monday morning, the only other option would be deportation to Uganda. His legal team says Uganda is a place where his safety and liberty would be at serious risk.
His attorneys argue this is not just aggressive prosecution. They believe it is retaliation. Abrego has already fought against being illegally deported to El Salvador, and now DOJ, DHS, and ICE are accused of teaming up to punish him for exercising his rights under the Bail Reform Act and the Fifth Amendment.
Legal experts cited in the filing argue that the government cannot punish someone simply for using their rights, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of due process. The document also highlights what it calls coercive coordination between DOJ and DHS, accusing the agencies of working together in a way that forces impossible choices on defendants.
For now, Abrego’s lawyers are considering filing an emergency motion to stop his removal or to sanction prosecutors for misconduct. The outcome of this battle could set a precedent for how far the government can go in using immigration consequences during criminal proceedings.
