The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration is required to facilitate the return of a Maryland man who was deported to El Salvador mistakenly.

The nation's high court said that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who had an immigration court order preventing his deportation, needed to be brought back by the government, Newsmax reported.

The court made the ruling due to concerns that the deported man would suffer backlash from local gangs.

By Monday at midnight, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had issued an order for Abrego Garcia's return to the country, but due to the court's deliberation, Chief Justice John Roberts put Xinis' order on hold.

Past Deadline

The court was asked to clarify her order, which requested that the government "facilitate and effectuate" Abrego Garcia's return, as the deadline had already passed.

The administration was informed that it should be ready to discuss its actions and future plans on the case, the Supreme Court added.

Even though Abrego Garcia has never faced criminal charges or a conviction, the administration assessed that he was likely an MS-13 gang member. His lawyers have stated that their client was never a member of MS-13.

The government has admitted it sent him to a notorious prison in El Salvador, where he is now detained, but it has also claimed it is powerless to do anything about it.

Another Judge's Take

The following day, a federal judge from Greenbelt, Maryland, blasted the Trump administration attorney for the lack of movement on retrieving the Salvadoran national.

“Where is he and under whose authority?” U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis asked in a Maryland courtroom.

“I’m not asking for state secrets,” she said. “All I know is that he’s not here. The government was prohibited from sending him to El Salvador, and now I’m asking a very simple question: where is he?”

From the Administration

Drew Ensign, a deputy assistant attorney general, said the government has no evidence Abrego Garcia is not in El Salvador.

This didn't sit well with the judge attempting to find out the status of the deported man, who called it "extremely troubling."

The judge bore down on Ensign about what steps have been taken: “Have they done anything?” — to which Ensign said he didn’t have personal knowledge of what had been done.

“So that means they’ve done nothing,” the judge said, adding later: “Despite this court’s clear directive, your clients have done nothing to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia.”