Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that a Justice Department lawyer, Erez Reuveni, has been placed on indefinite paid leave for not “zealously” defending the government’s position in a case involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected gang member deported to El Salvador.
Reuveni represented the government during a hearing in which a judge ruled Garcia must be returned to the U.S. by Monday.
Bondi emphasized that all DOJ attorneys are required to advocate on behalf of the U.S. government, and failure to do so would have consequences.
The government filed an emergency appeal arguing that the judge lacked authority to compel Garcia’s return. Garcia, a member of MS-13, was deported after being involved in trafficking, and the DOJ claims he has no legal right to be in the U.S.
