ICE Now Plans to Deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Eswatini, Africa

In a dramatic twist to one of the nation's most closely watched immigration cases, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has informed Salvadoran national Kilmar Ábrego García that he is now designated for removal to Eswatini, a small African kingdom, after earlier plans to deport him to Uganda faltered.

Fox News obtained the letter, dated September 5, 2025, and sent to Ábrego García by ICE's Office of the Principal Legal Advisor. The document informs him that despite his attorneys' objections, the government is moving forward with deportation.

"Your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa," the letter states. It dismisses Ábrego García's claims of fearing persecution in Uganda and highlights that he has raised similar concerns about at least 22 countries, including El Salvador, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela.

A Case That Has Captured National Attention

Ábrego García, 30, has lived in the United States for much of his life. He settled in Maryland, where he worked as a sheet-metal apprentice and raised two U.S. citizen children. His legal battle with ICE has spanned years, marked by deportation orders, temporary protections, and international headlines.

In March, the U.S. government wrongfully deported him to El Salvador, violating a 2019 order that recognized his risk of persecution. He was held in the country's notorious mega-prison before international pressure and a Supreme Court intervention forced his return to the United States in June.

Upon his return, ICE charged him with human smuggling, a case that remains pending. While he pleaded not guilty, ICE sought to deport him once again, this time to Uganda. His lawyers argued that such a transfer would expose him to political repression and danger in a country where he had no ties.

A New Destination: Eswatini

The new letter marks the latest twist: Ábrego García could now be removed to Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, a landlocked nation in southern Africa ruled by King Mswati III. Human rights groups have long criticized Eswatini's record on political freedoms and migration policies.

"This is unprecedented," said one immigration lawyer not tied to the case. "Choosing a destination country with no cultural or legal connection to the individual highlights the arbitrary nature of ICE's third-country removal program."

Next Steps in Court

Ábrego García's attorneys have already filed emergency motions in federal court. A hearing is scheduled for October 6 before U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland. Until then, a temporary restraining order keeps him in ICE custody within a 200-mile radius of Maryland.

Advocates argue that the Eswatini order violates U.S. obligations under international refugee conventions. Critics of the administration, however, insist that Ábrego García has exhausted his legal avenues and should be deported.

For now, the Fox News letter offers a rare window into the mechanics of U.S. deportation policy. It underscores how far ICE is willing to go to enforce removal orders—even if it means sending a Salvadoran father of two to a country halfway across the world where he has never set foot.