U.S. Plans to Deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia by October 31

(LIBERIA) The United States government plans to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia as soon as October 31, 2025, after multiple failed attempts to send him to other countries, according to case information reviewed this week. U.S. officials pursued removals to Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana, but authorities in those countries declined to accept him. Liberia has now agreed to take him, and Washington says it received diplomatic assurances about how he will be treated upon arrival.

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, sits in detention in Pennsylvania while he contests the deportation plan. His legal team says the move is punitive and unconstitutional, especially because Costa Rica has offered to receive him as a refugee. They argue that sending him to Liberia—a country with which he has no ties—would inflict maximum hardship without a lawful basis.

Background on the case

In March 2025, U.S. officials mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador despite a 2019 court order that protected him from removal due to his fear of persecution. After that episode, he was returned to the United States in June 2025 to face human smuggling charges in Tennessee. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

While the criminal case proceeds, immigration authorities placed him in custody to pursue deportation planning. His lawyers argue the government’s choice of Liberia ignores a viable humanitarian solution: Costa Rica’s offer to take him as a refugee. They contend that this would address safety concerns and avoid sending him to a country where he has no family or history.

The government’s earlier attempts to send him to Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana were blocked when those nations declined to admit him. The administration of President Trump describes Liberia as a suitable destination based on the country’s democratic status and human rights protections. U.S. officials say they have obtained diplomatic assurances—a common tool in deportation planning when the receiving country is not the person’s country of nationality. The government has not released the text of those assurances but maintains they are adequate.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the unusual chain of removal attempts highlights how complicated deportations can become when nationality, safety concerns, and third-country acceptance collide. The site notes that diplomatic assurances often play a key role when the government cannot return a person to their home country due to court orders or risk of harm, while still seeking to carry out a final order of removal.

Timeline and contested destination

• Removal target date: as early as October 31, 2025 (subject to final arrangements)
• Current location: Detained in Pennsylvania while lawyers pursue relief in court
• Pending matters: Hearings in Tennessee (criminal case) and immigration proceedings

Key points in the dispute:

• Defense argues the Liberia plan is an attempt to inflict severe pressure by sending Abrego Garcia to a place where he lacks community support.
• Defense emphasizes Costa Rica’s refugee offer as a humane and lawful alternative that would meet the government’s removal objectives.
• The Trump administration cites Liberia’s democratic institutions and human rights framework and says diplomatic assurances address treatment and reception concerns.
• The government has not publicly released the diplomatic assurances’ text.

“The central dispute turns on three points: whether the government can deport a Salvadoran to Liberia, whether the diplomatic assurances are enough to protect him, and whether Costa Rica’s offer should change the plan.”

Legal posture and arguments

Defense attorneys say the deportation plan is unlawful and unconstitutional, pointing to:

• The 2019 protection order that previously barred removal due to fear of persecution.
• The mistaken March deportation to El Salvador, which advocates say raises questions about procedural safeguards and accountability.
• The availability of Costa Rica as a refugee-receiving alternative.

The government argues it is acting within established removal processes that allow transfer to a third country willing to accept a person—particularly when returning to the home country is not an option. Officials stress that diplomatic assurances are an accepted practice to address treatment issues with the receiving state and to allow removal to proceed.

For readers seeking official removal process basics, the agency overview is posted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Next steps and legal stakes

Court filings suggest the removal timeline could move quickly depending on flight scheduling and final diplomatic steps. Defense attorneys indicate further court intervention may be possible if the government attempts to execute the plan before judges rule on pending motions.

Possible outcomes:

1. Government proceeds with the flight to Liberia, ending a months-long, multi-country push to carry out deportation.
2. Courts intervene, potentially pausing removal and forcing reconsideration of the Costa Rica alternative or prompting further litigation over third-country removals.

The outcome could shape how agencies approach third-country removals when prior destinations decline admission.

Human impact and contested facts

The personal stakes are clear:

• Abrego Garcia remains detained far from family, fighting both a criminal case and a removal plan to a continent where he has never lived.
• Defense says the Liberia plan would leave him isolated and at risk.
• Government maintains Liberia’s acceptance and the diplomatic assurances meet its duty to carry out removal while addressing safety concerns.

Undisputed facts in the public record:

• He is Salvadoran.
• He was mistakenly deported in March 2025 and returned in June 2025 for prosecution in Tennessee.
• He is detained in Pennsylvania.
• Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana declined to accept him.
• Liberia agreed to accept him.
• The planned date is as soon as October 31.

In dispute: whether sending a Salvadoran to Liberia is lawful and fair given the 2019 protection order and Costa Rica’s refugee offer.

Policy context and closing

From a policy perspective, the case underscores an ongoing tension between:

• The government’s aim to enforce removal orders, and
• The courts’ role in guarding against refoulement—the return of someone to a place where they fear persecution—when prior protections exist.

While the administration points to Liberia’s democratic record, the defense argues democratic status alone does not cure the hardship of sending a man with no ties to a distant country.

As the calendar approaches the end of October, both sides are preparing for one more round. If the government proceeds, the flight could conclude a multi-month effort to carry out deportation. If courts step in, the case may shift toward the Costa Rica alternative or more litigation over the limits of third-country removals. For now:

• The government signals readiness.
• The defense signals resistance.
• The timeline points to October 31.