U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has just dropped a bombshell on alleged MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, notifying him of a one-way ticket to Eswatini, a tiny African kingdom most Americans couldn’t find on a map.
According to The Daily Caller, in a whirlwind of legal maneuvers, Abrego Garcia’s deportation saga has seen plans shift from Uganda to Eswatini, multiple detentions, and claims of fearing persecution in no fewer than 22 countries, all while federal authorities and judges grapple with his fate.
Let’s rewind to the beginning of this convoluted tale, back when the Trump administration first deported Abrego Garcia to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
That initial deportation sparked outrage among Democrats, who pushed hard for his return to American soil, arguing for a second look at his case.
By mid-2025, their efforts paid off, and Abrego Garcia was brought back to face criminal charges tied to human smuggling, a move that raised eyebrows among those who question why we’re playing host to repeat offenders.
After a stint in a Tennessee prison, he was released on August 22, 2025, only to be scooped up by federal immigration authorities within days for another deportation attempt.
On August 25, 2025, as Abrego Garcia and his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, entered an ICE field office, authorities were ready to ship him out to either Africa or Central America.
But U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis slammed the brakes on those plans that very afternoon, issuing a temporary halt with a stern warning: “Absolutely forbidden at this juncture.”
While the judge’s order kept him stateside for an evidentiary hearing, one can’t help but wonder if this is just another delay in a system already bogged down by endless appeals.
Since August 26, 2025, Abrego Garcia has remained detained in the U.S. under Judge Xinis’ order, as deportation plans stayed on ice.
ICE had initially targeted Uganda as his destination, but after he expressed fears of persecution there, they pivoted to Eswatini, notifying his lawyers of the change on September 5, 2025, as confirmed by a Department of Homeland Security staffer.
An ICE email to his legal team noted, “Your attorney has informed us, however, that you fear persecution or torture in Uganda,” before dryly adding that such claims seem dubious given his similar fears in 22 different nations. If fearing persecution in nearly two dozen countries isn’t a record, it’s certainly a red flag for credibility in the eyes of many who value border security over what looks like legal gamesmanship.
Continuing from that email, ICE declared, “Nonetheless, we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa.”
Now, let’s be frank—most folks have never heard of Eswatini, and it raises the question of why this tiny nation was chosen over more familiar options, though it’s clear ICE is running out of patience with Abrego Garcia’s laundry list of fears.
Meanwhile, his attorneys have pointed out that the Trump administration once offered a deal: plead guilty to smuggling charges, serve time, and head to Costa Rica—or face Uganda. With Eswatini now on the table, it seems the government is doubling down on finding a place to send him, no matter how obscure, while progressive voices might argue this is just harsh posturing; yet, isn’t it fair to ask why taxpayers should foot the bill for endless delays?