A federal judge has decided to make several court documents public related to Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation case, dismissing concerns from the Trump administration about potential risks to national security. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis issued this ruling in Maryland, emphasizing the public’s right to access court records as guaranteed by the First Amendment.
The documents released so far do not reveal much new information. Judge Xinis described one of the unsealed filings as standard, which includes a request from the Trump administration to temporarily stop evidence sharing in the early stages of the lawsuit.
In her ruling, Xinis noted that some documents had been public before the government quickly sought to seal them. These documents included exchanges between Garcia’s lawyers and the U.S. government regarding efforts to return him from El Salvador.
Lawyers for the Trump administration frequently resisted answering questions, claiming that the matter involved state secrets and sensitive diplomatic negotiations. They argued that revealing details could harm the diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and El Salvador.
Additionally, the judge ordered part of a transcript from a court hearing in April to be made available, although certain sections would be redacted to protect classified information. Importantly, this ruling does not relate to the government’s pending claim of state secrets, which the administration often uses in military cases. They have previously stated that sharing information about Garcia’s situation could jeopardize national security.
Garcia’s attorneys claim that the government has failed to take action to return him. They allege that the state secrets privilege is being misused to cover up mistakes related to his deportation.
In 2019, a U.S. immigration judge found that returning Garcia to El Salvador would likely put him at risk of persecution due to gang violence against his family. Garcia’s American wife has taken legal action regarding his deportation, and Judge Xinis ordered his return in early April. Following this, the Supreme Court ruled that the government must work to bring him back.
In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump stated he could easily intervene to help Garcia but chose not to because of allegations that Garcia is linked to the MS-13 gang—a claim that Garcia vehemently denies and for which he has never faced charges.
