Trump administration seeks dismissal of civil suit after returning Abrego Garcia to U.S. custody, sparking legal backlash.

Administration Says Court Orders Fulfilled

The Trump administration has informed a federal judge that it intends to seek the dismissal of a civil case involving the deportation and return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, stating that the matter is now moot. The announcement came in a court filing Tuesday to U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, with officials saying a formal motion to dismiss on mootness grounds will be filed by June 16.

Justice Department attorneys argue they have fulfilled the plaintiffs' demands and complied with the court's directive by returning Abrego Garcia to the U.S. from El Salvador. His deportation in March was previously acknowledged by the administration as a procedural error.

Despite his return, the legal controversy persists. Upon arriving back in the United States, Abrego Garcia was transferred to Tennessee to face federal charges for allegedly transporting undocumented immigrants—an offense tied to a years-old traffic stop. The Justice Department filed these charges on May 21, raising questions about the timing and coordination of the investigation and grand jury proceedings.

Defense Alleges Bad Faith and Seeks Sanctions

Attorneys for Abrego Garcia described the government's actions as a “pure farce” and filed their own motion accusing the administration of misleading the court. They indicated plans to seek sanctions against government lawyers, asserting that the administration continued to claim a lack of authority to return Garcia even after his indictment was issued.

The legal team contends that the court in Maryland still maintains jurisdiction over the civil case, and that contempt and penalties against the administration remain warranted. Judge Xinis had previously expressed frustration over the administration’s conduct, accusing it in an eight-page order of submitting “vague, evasive and incomplete” responses and showing a “willful and bad faith refusal” to meet discovery obligations.

In Tuesday’s filing, the administration pushed back, calling the plaintiffs’ claims “desperate and disappointing.” They argued that sensitive materials, including state secrets, limited their ability to share information during discovery, but emphasized that the outcome speaks for itself: Abrego Garcia is now back in U.S. custody.

“The proof is in the pudding – defendants have returned Abrego Garcia to the United States just as they were ordered to do,” the filing stated.

The administration continues to deny any intentional defiance of the court’s orders, but the case has become a focal point in the broader discussion about executive accountability and judicial oversight. Judge Xinis’s next steps could determine whether the administration faces formal contempt proceedings, even as it moves to end the civil suit.