The Trump administration has been ordered, for a second time, to facilitate the return of a man deported to El Salvador.
According to court documents, the 20-year-old migrant, known as Cristian, arrived in the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor and sought asylum in 2019.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher ruled that Cristian is entitled to due process under a settlement that resulted from a class-action lawsuit. The settlement allowed certain migrants to remain in the U.S. while their asylum applications were processed.
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In her ruling, Gallagher referenced the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland with his wife and children before he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador alongside Cristian.
The Supreme Court previously ordered the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return after the government acknowledged his removal was a mistake.
Citing that precedent, Gallagher said the administration must also assist in returning Cristian.
"This Court further orders that facilitating Cristian’s return includes, but is not limited to, Defendants making a good faith request to the government of El Salvador to release Cristian to U.S. custody for transport back to the United States to await the adjudication of his asylum application," Gallagher said.
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Gallagher was appointed to be a District Court Judge by President Trump in 2019 and confirmed by the Senate.
