The Department of Justice announced on Sunday that it has placed one of its attorneys on administrative leave after he did not adequately defend the department’s actions regarding the wrongful deportation of a man to El Salvador, which a U.S. judge described as a “wholly lawless” detention.
During a court hearing on Friday, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered that Kilmar Abrego Garcia be returned to Maryland by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, despite the DOJ’s assertion that it cannot repatriate him from a sovereign nation.
When questioned about the government’s inability to facilitate his return, U.S. attorney Erez Reuveni responded, “For the court’s awareness, when this case came to my attention, my first action was to inquire with my clients about that very question. To date, I have not received a satisfactory answer.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi informed “Fox News Sunday” that Reuveni is no longer involved in the case or with the department.
“This matter is still pending. He was placed on administrative leave by Deputy U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche on Saturday,” Bondi stated.
“You must advocate vigorously for your client,” she emphasized.
The Trump administration had informed the federal court that it mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia to his native country, despite an existing court order that prohibited his removal.
In a written order on Sunday clarifying her ruling from Friday, Xinis stated, “There were no legal justifications for his arrest, detention, or removal,” nor was there any evidence indicating he was wanted for crimes in El Salvador. “Instead, his detention appears entirely lawless,” she noted in her filing.
The Trump administration has filed an appeal regarding this case.
