The Supreme Court intervened Monday to block a federal judge’s order requiring the U.S. to return MS-13 gang member Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia from a Salvadoran prison.
Chief Justice John Roberts granted a temporary stay, giving the Trump administration time to appeal.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had ruled the government must return Abrego Garcia, who had been deported despite prior protection from removal. The Justice Department identified him as a “verified member of MS-13,” and the administration argued that protections no longer apply after MS-13’s designation as a terrorist group.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer criticized the judge’s ruling as a breach of presidential authority, saying it undermines foreign policy. The administration warned the decision could force courts into managing international diplomacy.
