On Sunday evening, the Trump administration maintained its stance that a federal judge cannot compel the government to repatriate a Maryland man who was illegally deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador the previous month.
In a concise legal filing, the Justice Department restated its belief that courts do not have the authority to instruct the White House on actions to take in order to bring Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia back to the United States. The department argued that the president possesses extensive powers over foreign policy.
The Justice Department's lawyers wrote that federal courts are not empowered to direct the executive branch on how to conduct foreign relations or interact with a foreign government. They stated that this power is exclusively held by the president as the sole representative of the federal government in international affairs.
This position by Trump officials was not their first attempt to resist efforts to force them to seek Mr. Abrego Garcia's return from El Salvador. Their continued resistance meant that Mr. Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old father of three, would remain at the CECOT prison in El Salvador, where he was deported with many other migrants on March 15.
5 Comments
Raphael
Regardless of the individual case, we must uphold the integrity of executive power in international matters.
Michelangelo
It's critical to have a clear distinction between judicial and executive powers. The president needs to make these tough decisions.
Leonardo
Our justice system is supposed to check executive power. This is a blatant power grab by the Trump administration!
Donatello
Diplomacy involves complicated decisions. It’s essential that we allow the president to manage these issues without overreach from judges.
Raphael
How long until they do this to someone else? A dangerous precedent is being set here, and we're all at risk.