
Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorney on new deportation effort
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 7m 7sVideo has Closed Captions
Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorney discusses his case amid new deportation effort
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident whose illegal deportation sparked scrutiny of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, was arrested again during a meeting with ICE. The administration now says he’s being processed for deportation to Uganda. Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...

Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorney on new deportation effort
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 7m 7sVideo has Closed Captions
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident whose illegal deportation sparked scrutiny of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, was arrested again during a meeting with ICE. The administration now says he’s being processed for deportation to Uganda. Amna Nawaz discussed the latest with Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch PBS News Hour
PBS News Hour is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "News Hour."
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident whose deportation sparked scrutiny of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, was arrested again this morning during a meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Baltimore.
Back in March, Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to his native El Salvador and held in the notorious CECOT prison for months.
Under judges' orders, he was returned to the U.S. in June, then immediately jailed by federal officials on human smuggling charges.
Three days ago, he was released again under judges' orders.
And, this morning, complying with the conditions of his release, he reported to an immigration check-in in Baltimore and was again arrested by ICE.
Before his arrest, Abrego Garcia spoke to a crowd of reporters.
KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA, Detained By ICE (through translator): To all the families who have suffered separations and who live constantly under the threat of being separated, I want to tell you, even though injustice is hitting us hard, we do not lose faith.
AMNA NAWAZ: The administration now says he's being processed for deportation to Uganda, a country he has no connection to.
But a federal judge in Maryland today ruled that the administration could not deport him without prior approval and must keep him in the U.S.
Joining me now to discuss Abrego Garcia's case is his attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg.
Simon, thanks for joining us.
What can you tell us about where your client is right now and how he and his family are doing?
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG, Attorney For Kilmar Abrego Garcia: Mr. Abrego Garcia was taken back into ICE custody at a ICE check-in, which the supposed purpose was an interview.
That was clearly false, because, as soon as we got up there, within -- they had the whole floor shut off and within one minute they took him into custody.
He's currently at a detention center in Virginia.
The district judge ordered that he not be removed from that detention center in the meanwhile.
So they're prohibited, at least for the moment, to sending him to one of the detention centers in Louisiana or South Texas or what have you.
AMNA NAWAZ: It was reported earlier, Simon, that there was a plea deal put before your client, that, if he pled guilty, he would serve his time and then be deported to Costa Rica.
And if he wouldn't plead guilty, he might otherwise be deported to Uganda, which the administration now says it's working on.
So can you confirm that offer was made, and did Abrego Garcia reject that deal?
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG: So I don't represent him in his criminal matters.
I'm his immigration counsel.
But the notion that they're using the immigration system and, even more specifically, the decision of which country someone is going to be deported to, to sort of try to weaponize and gain leverage in a criminal prosecution is just flatly unconstitutional.
It's very punitive.
They say that their goal is to get him out of the country as quickly as possible.
There's already an offer on the table from Costa Rica for refugee status in that country and a guarantee that Costa Rica will not deport him on to El Salvador.
If they wanted to get him out of the country as quickly as possible, we could work that out tomorrow.
AMNA NAWAZ: I want to ask you about that judge's ruling this afternoon that we just reported on.
Do you believe that ruling does deport him -- or, rather, does protect him from deportation?
Is he safe from being deported right now, in your view?
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG: In the very short term, he's safe from being deported until we're going to have an in-person evidentiary hearing in front of the judge.
But really ultimately what has to be decided is, can they send him to any country, whether it's Uganda, whether it's Spain, if that country hasn't assured that he's going to be able to stay there, right?
Because, otherwise, it just becomes essentially a very inconvenient layover on a trip right back to El Salvador, which is the one country where it's illegal for them to send him.
AMNA NAWAZ: You mentioned the criminal charges he's facing.
I know you're not representing him in those, but I do want to get your response to this, because he is -- he is facing those federal human trafficking charges.
He's accused of transporting people within the U.S. who weren't here legally.
I just want to put to you what the attorney general, Pam Bondi, said about your client earlier today when she was asked about him in the Oval Office.
PAM BONDI, U.S. Attorney General: We have got him under control.
He will no longer terrorize our country.
He's currently charged with human smuggling, and including children.
The guy needs to be in prison.
He doesn't need to be on the streets, like all these liberals want him to be.
AMNA NAWAZ: Simon, at the heart of all of this is this issue of due process.
Do you believe that he can get a fair trial?
Will there be due process here?
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG: Mr. Abrego Garcia has already had significant due process in front of I think it's now five different judges and courts, from the initial 2019 immigration judge that granted him withholding of removal protection from removal to El Salvador, all the way up to the United States Supreme Court, and now two judges in Tennessee.
And every single one of those, when they actually look at the evidence and the record, have completely disagreed with what Attorney General Bondi is saying, is that there's no evidence in the record that he's this major gang leader, human trafficker, what have you.
AMNA NAWAZ: Well, let me put to you as well why the administration continues to message on this, that we heard from the attorney general, Pam Bondi there, but there's also allegations repeatedly made by people like the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, who today put out the statement calling him explicitly in the headline of the message an MS-13 gang member, a wife beater, a child predator, a criminal illegal alien.
We should note one of -- none of the charges he's facing are related to anything that she alleged there.
But why do you believe that the government has become so focused on Kilmar Abrego Garcia?
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG: Their message has been completely incoherent.
Are they trying to prosecute him in the United States or are they trying to get him out of the United States before his trial, which would frustrate the trial from even happening?
Are they trying to deport him as quickly as possible, which can be done to Costa Rica this week, or are they trying to deport him to a country that would punishment for him, like Uganda, which will be a huge, knockdown, drag-out fight, a lengthy fight, right?
And so the reason for all of this is that, when push comes to shove, they're far more concerned with throwing their weight around and preserving what they think is their ability to do whatever they want whenever they want to whoever they want.
That's far more important to them than any particular outcome in this particular case.
AMNA NAWAZ: Simon, in the 30 seconds or so I have left, can I just ask you, is it your view now that he will ultimately be deported, it's just a matter of to which country, or could his deportation be prevented?
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG: I don't know how this process is all going to play out, but we are certainly going to prevent -- we're certainly going to fight tooth and nail to prevent deportation to any country that has not given credible assurances that it won't re-deport him on to El Salvador, where he was already tortured earlier this year.
AMNA NAWAZ: The attorney for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, joining us tonight.
Simon, thank you we appreciate your time.
SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG: Good to be with you.
5 journalists killed after Israel strikes Gaza hospital
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 8m 10s | Another 5 journalists killed after Israel strikes Gaza's largest hospital (8m 10s)
Is a bubble forming as AI investments drive economic growth?
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 7m 44s | Is a bubble forming as AI investments drive economic growth? (7m 44s)
A look why presidents can control D.C.'s law enforcement
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 6m 55s | A look at D.C.'s unique history and why presidents can wield control of law enforcement (6m 55s)
News Wrap: Trump signs order aimed at flag burning
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 5m 13s | News Wrap: Trump signs order aimed at flag burning (5m 13s)
Rep. Doggett on redistricting and pushback against Trump
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 7m 12s | Democratic Rep. Doggett on Texas redistricting battle and party's pushback against Trump (7m 12s)
Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Newsom's fight against Trump
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 8/25/2025 | 9m 55s | Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on whether Newsom's tactics against Trump are working (9m 55s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSupport for PBS provided by:
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...