The US government is seeking to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran national, to Uganda after he refused a plea deal in a pending human smuggling case.
García’s lawyers accuse the government of trying to coerce him into pleading guilty by threatening deportation to Uganda, a country with which he has no known ties.
Previously, the US government offered García a deal to plead guilty in exchange for deportation to Costa Rica, which agreed to accept him as a refugee and provide him with legal status.
However, García’s lawyers claim that upon his release from federal custody, they were informed of the government’s intention to deport him to Uganda instead.
García has until Monday to accept the plea deal for deportation to Costa Rica or face potential deportation to Uganda.
