Mullin says US would be ‘happy to send’ Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified Tuesday that the agency “would be happy to submit.” Kilmar Abrego Garcia This statement to Costa Rica contradicts what DHS officials and Justice Department lawyers have been saying in court for months.
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys also included a statement Mullin made Wednesday to the judge overseeing his immigration case, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis; He has repeatedly pressed the administration on why Abrego Garcia was asked to be sent to the West African country of Liberia rather than Costa Rica, which he said was his preferred destination if deported.
Abrego Garcia lives in Maryland with his wife and children. He was deported in March last year He was sent to El Salvador’s CECOT megaprison after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the MS-13 criminal gang — despite a court order banning his deportation to that country in 2019 for fear of persecution, which he denies.
Federal judge dismisses human trafficking case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
he was Brought back to the USA He was due to face human trafficking charges last June, and those charges were dismissed last month after the judge in that case found that the government could not disprove Abrego Garcia’s claim that he was trafficking. vengeful prosepleasant.
Government officials in Costa Rica have said they would be willing to grant refugee status or residence permit to Abrego Garcia if he is deported.
“I’m going to ask you about Kilmar Abrego Garcia,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen asked Mullin during an appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. “In this case, are you aware that he agreed to be sent to Costa Rica and that Costa Rica agreed to accept him?”
“No, I’m not, senator,” Mullin said.
Stephanie Scarbrough/AP – PHOTO: Kilmar Abrego Garcia attends a protest rally in support of Abrego Garcia at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Baltimore on August 25, 2025.
When Van Hollen said again that he would be willing to go to Costa Rica if Abrego Garcia was dismissed, Mullin said, “Great, if he’s willing to do that, we’d be happy to send him.”
At a hearing in Maryland last month, when pressed by Xinis about why he refused to designate Costa Rica as a deportation country, a Justice Department lawyer said DHS There is discretion Ignoring a person’s country of removal from their preferred country.
“He chose Costa Rica, you don’t have that,” Xinis said last month. “You insist on Liberia; this is punitive.”
Judge Xinis has now barred the government from removing Abrego Garcia from the United States.
