In a contentious 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has blocked a federal district court order that would have required the return of wrongfully deported sheet metal apprentice Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the United States. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, focused heavily on what he termed “improper venue shopping” by the plaintiffs, suggesting they had sought out sympathetic courts to hear their case.
The administrative order comes after a series of rapid legal developments. On Friday, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Erez Reuveni acknowledged in court that there was no evidence in the record supporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s decision to apprehend and deport Abrego Garcia. Following this admission, a federal district court judge ordered the government to return him to the United States by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 7.
The Supreme Court’s decision, with Chief Justice Roberts writing for a 5-4 majority, effectively overturned an earlier unanimous ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In a notable split, Justice Barrett joined the Court’s three liberal justices — Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson — in dissent, arguing that the majority’s focus on procedural technicalities ignored the “stark reality of an admitted wrongful deportation and its devastating human consequences.”
This case has drawn national attention since Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador on March 12, when ICE agents detained him while driving home from work with his son. Despite having protected legal status in the United States, he was deported and is now being held in El Salvador’s CECOT prison, notorious for its inhumane conditions. While the Trump administration admitted to the “administrative error” in court filings on March 31, the Fourth Circuit’s ruling makes clear that the issue goes beyond a simple mistake, striking at fundamental constitutional protections. The administration’s claim that it cannot facilitate his return due to his current detention in El Salvador has now collided with core questions about due process rights and judicial authority.
Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMART) General President Michael Coleman expressed disappointment at the latest delay, while also highlighting the lack of evidence for the deportation.
“In court Friday, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Erez Reuveni admitted that there was nothing in the record to support ICE apprehending and deporting Abrego Garcia,” Coleman noted.
“The federal district court judge who heard Kilmar’s case stated she ‘[hadn’t] been given any evidence’ to support the government’s allegation of gang affiliation.” Coleman added, “We are devastated for Kilmar and his family that his return has been delayed. But our call remains unchanged: The Trump administration must bring Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia home and grant him the due process that is his right.”
The case has particular significance given Abrego Garcia’s background. A first-year sheet metal apprentice with SMART Local 100, he had lived in the United States for 15 years and supported his wife and three small children. He had received withholding of removal status in 2019, a protection specifically granted due to concerns about potential persecution in El Salvador, where he had faced threats and extortion from the violent Barrio 18 gang.
SOLIDARITY: SMART General President Michael Coleman addresses union members at a Baltimore federal courthouse rally Friday, declaring “The Trump administration can’t hide behind procedural excuses. (Courtesy of SMART)
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 administrative order represents more than just a procedural setback. By accepting the government’s arguments about venue, the Court has effectively created a roadblock for similar cases seeking emergency relief for wrongful deportations. The majority opinion suggests that such cases must be filed in specific jurisdictions, a requirement that critics argue could make it practically impossible for wrongfully deported individuals to obtain timely relief. The dissenting justices warned that this interpretation could leave individuals like Abrego Garcia with “rights without remedies.”
The timing of this case is particularly notable as it unfolds against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s recent invocation of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act and promises of mass deportations. Human rights organizations continue to express concern about conditions in Salvadoran prisons, where Abrego Garcia is currently being held.
The case has garnered significant support from the broader labor movement. Multiple unions, including the United Auto Workers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), have joined forces to protest what they see as an assault on workers’ rights and due process. SMART has held rallies across the country to raise awareness and demand Abrego Garcia’s return.
Labor leaders have expressed outrage at the Supreme Court’s administrative order, viewing it as part of a broader pattern of using procedural technicalities to deny substantive rights. The nine national unions that issued the joint statement have announced plans to escalate their campaign, arguing that the Court’s focus on venue shopping ignores the fundamental human rights violations at the heart of these deportations. “When the highest court in the land chooses procedural gymnastics over justice, it falls to the labor movement to stand up for what’s right,” the statement declared.