A federal court hearing scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, to determine whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia would be deported to Liberia was abruptly canceled. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis was set to hear arguments regarding the government's motion to dissolve a preliminary injunction that currently prevents Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from detaining or deporting Abrego Garcia. Attorneys for both sides met for 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, after which the public was informed the hearing would not proceed.
Abrego Garcia, a 31-year-old Salvadoran national who has lived in Maryland for years, was previously deported to El Salvador in March 2025. This occurred despite a 2019 judge's order blocking his removal to that country due to potential harm from gangs. ICE later characterized that deportation as an "administrative error," and the Trump administration returned him to the U.S. in June 2025. Upon his return, he faced human smuggling charges in Tennessee, which a federal judge dismissed in May 2026 as vindictive prosecution. The government is currently appealing that dismissal.
The Trump administration is now seeking to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia, one of several countries that have agreed to accept non-native immigrants from the U.S. While Abrego Garcia has requested removal to Costa Rica, which has indicated it would grant him residency, former acting ICE director Todd Lyons stated in a March 2026 memo that doing so would be "prejudicial to the United States" because of the resources spent negotiating with Liberia. Abrego Garcia's legal team argued in court filings that the government is abusing its immigration powers to punish him for challenging his initial removal.
For the individuals involved, the outcome determines whether they remain in the U.S. with their families, are sent to a country of their choice like Costa Rica, or are deported to Liberia. Migrants already sent to Liberia told reporters they feel "stateless" and fear persecution if they were to return to their original homelands. A decision in this case could clarify the extent of the government's power to select third-party deportation destinations over a migrant's preferred country of removal, particularly when the U.S. has established specific diplomatic agreements for such transfers.
The next steps in the legal process include an update to the court docket expected within several days to explain the cancellation or reschedule the hearing. Additionally, the government's appeal of the dismissed human smuggling charges remains pending in the Sixth Circuit. The current preliminary injunction remains in place, meaning Abrego Garcia cannot be detained or deported to Liberia until the court issues a new ruling. No new date for the hearing has been announced.