Today's News: Trump and Bukele Refuse to Return Wrongly Deported Migrant
In a high-profile Oval Office meeting, Bukele called the return request “preposterous,” while Trump argued that deportations are not subject to court enforcement.
Photo: Al Drago/For The Washington Post
Overview
Date: April 14, 2025
Topic: Trump and Bukele Refuse to Return Wrongly Deported Migrant
Summary: President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele have openly refused to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador, despite a U.S. immigration judge’s protection order and a Supreme Court directive to “facilitate” his return. In a high-profile Oval Office meeting, Bukele called the return request “preposterous,” while Trump and top officials argued that foreign policy and deportations are executive decisions not subject to court enforcement. The administration continues to justify the deportation based on gang affiliation claims that were rejected by the courts. The incident has sparked legal and constitutional concern over executive defiance of judicial authority.
Sources
The New York Times – Trump Administration Live Updates: U.S. and El Salvador Won’t Return Wrongly Deported Man
CNN – White House and Bukele make clear Abrego Garcia won’t be returned to US
NBC News – El Salvador's president says he won't return mistakenly deported man to U.S.
Fox News – Bukele says Trump has 350 million Americans to 'liberate' by ending crime, terrorism
The Washington Post – Bukele rejects returning Maryland man Trump officials mistakenly deported
The Wall Street Journal – El Salvador’s Bukele Says He Doesn’t Have Power to Return Mistakenly Deported Man
Key Points
Trump and Bukele both reject returning Abrego Garcia despite Supreme Court and immigration court rulings.
U.S. officials argue that only El Salvador can return him, framing the issue as a matter of foreign policy beyond court authority.
Abrego Garcia had been legally protected from deportation since 2019; his removal is acknowledged as an “administrative error.”
The U.S. has contracted with El Salvador to detain alleged gang members, including U.S. deportees, in the CECOT mega-prison.
Courts ordered the administration to “facilitate” Garcia’s return, not “effectuate” it—leaving room for executive resistance.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times reports the administration is using a centuries-old Alien Enemies Act to justify mass deportations and highlights Trump’s musings on exporting U.S. citizens.
CNN notes that Trump previously said he would comply with the court’s order but has since reversed course and details how “facilitate” versus “effectuate” is being interpreted.
NBC News reveals Attorney General Pam Bondi and others publicly contradicted DOJ court filings and quotes Stephen Miller labeling prior DOJ admissions as sabotage.
Fox News emphasizes the broader crime-reduction narrative, with Trump and Bukele joking about transgender sports and praising each other’s toughness on crime.
The Washington Post includes detailed background on Bukele’s human rights record and questions the legality of outsourcing U.S. prison functions to El Salvador.
The Wall Street Journal details legal strategy shifts and raises the possibility of contempt proceedings against the Trump administration.
Contrasting Details
Fox News frames the meeting as a tough-on-crime success story, omitting legal controversy and court rulings.
The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN emphasize potential constitutional crisis and defiance of judicial authority.
NBC News and The Wall Street Journal provide detailed legal rebuttals to administration claims, while Fox News avoids legal specifics.
Only The New York Times and The Washington Post cite previous criticism of Bukele by U.S. institutions before Trump’s renewed embrace.
CNN and NBC News clarify that no administration officials directly requested Bukele return Abrego Garcia, while others imply mutual decision-making.
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