Trump administration invokes state secrets privilege in Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case

WASHINGTON AP The Trump administration is invoking the state secrets privilege in an apparent attempt to avoid answering a judge s questions about its mistaken deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador U S District Judge Paula Xinis disclosed the governing body s position in a two-page order on Wednesday She set a Monday deadline for attorneys to file briefs on the issue and how it could affect Abrego Garcia s scenario Xinis also scheduled a May hearing in Greenbelt Maryland to address the matter Related Articles Wall Street rises with hopes for pact deals that could forestall a recession US applications for jobless benefits fall last week despite elevated uncertainty over Trump tariffs Bill Gates pledges his remaining fortune to the Gates Foundation which will close in years Currently in History May Son of Sam killer pleads guilty Alleged Massachusetts migrant shelter rapist fights bail hike The Republican administration previously invoked the same legal authority to cut off a judge s inquiry into whether it defied an order to turn around planes deporting Venezuelan settlers to El Salvador Abrego Garcia has been imprisoned in his native El Salvador for nearly two months His mistaken deportation has become a flash point for President Donald Trump s immigration policies and his increasing friction with the U S courts Trump has declared he could call El Salvador s president and have Abrego Garcia who was living in Maryland returned to the United States Instead Trump has doubled down on his indicates that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS- gang Police in Maryland had identified Abrego Garcia as an MS- gang member in based off his tattoos Chicago Bulls hoodie and the word of a criminal informant But Abrego Garcia was never charged His lawyers say the informant claimed Abrego Garcia was in an MS- chapter in New York where Abrego Garcia has never lived The administration has balked at telling Xinis what if anything it has done to facilitate Abrego Garcia s return to the U S The judge ruled that his lawyers can question several Trump administration officers under oath about the regime s response to her orders In a court filing Wednesday his lawyers announced they already have conducted depositions of three personnel and are still in the dark about the authorities s efforts to free Abrego Garcia They are asking for permission to depose a more executives possibly including one from the White House