White House Stands by Maryland Father' Deportation Despite 'Administrative Error' : He 'Will Not Be Returning'

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended on Tuesday the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man with protected legal status, despite admitting that his removal was an "administrative error". U.S. officials maintain that Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang and involved in human trafficking, claims his lawyers strongly dispute.

"The administration maintains the position that this individual, who was deported to El Salvador and will not be returning to our country, was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang," Leavitt told reporters at a Tuesday briefing. She added that "credible intelligence" showed he was involved in human trafficking and emphasized that "foreign terrorists do not have legal protections in the United States of America anymore."

Abrego Garcia's legal team has challenged the government's accusations, stating in a complaint that the U.S. has "never produced an iota of evidence to support this unfounded accusation."

Abrego Garcia's attorneys also detailed that a confidential informant had accused him of being part of the MS-13 gang and that even though he was found removable, a judge "granted him withholding of removal to El Salvador," because of the dangers he could face.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acknowledged the mistake earlier on Tuesday in a sworn declaration by acting field office director Robert L. Cerna, who stated bluntly that "this removal was an error."

Vice President JD Vance, however, defended the decision when pressed about the case on social media, dismissing concerns and arguing that the U.S. should not be "fired up" about deporting suspected gang members. He also incorrectly stated that Abrego-Garcia was a "convicted" MS-13 member, despite no record of such a conviction.:

"My comment is that according to the court document you apparently didn't read he was a convicted MS-13 gang member with no legal right to be here. My further comment is that it's gross to get fired up about gang members getting deported while ignoring citizens they victimize"

Abrego Garcia remains imprisoned in El Salvador's CECOT megaprison, a facility known for its severe conditions. His family, including his U.S. citizen wife and five-year-old son, continues to advocate for his return.