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GOP Congressman Says He Doesnโ€™t Trust Trumpโ€™s DOJ

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A Republican Congressman says he does not trust President Trump’s Justice Department…

CNN chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju joined anchor Boris Sanchez on Tuesday to discuss the state of play surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case on Capitol Hill when they interviewed GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.)

โ€œYeah, this is through a procedural vote, Democrats moving to force this vote to put Republicans on the record. If this were to succeed, it would have required that all documents related to Epstein be on a publicly accessible database within 30 days. That did not happen,โ€ Raju explained, adding:

This came after the Senate and bipartisan Senate vote did succeed last week calling for the release of those Epstein files. But that separate bill has been stalled in the Senate committee. So itโ€™s unclear exactly whether Congress will assert itself and force this issue. But the Republicans are divided about this. Republican leaders want absolutely nothing to do with this matter.

The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, told me yesterday that he is going to defer to the White House on this. John Thune, the Senate majority leader, has not taken really any position on this at all. But members on the right flank of the House GOP and Senate GOP are the ones in particular who are raising the most concerns, including Congressman Tim Burchett, who just told me moments ago, he does not believe what the Justice Department is saying.

An amendment demanding that President Donald Trumpโ€™s administration release all files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was shot down by Republicans on the House Rules Committee on Monday.

The amendment, which was introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), was rejected by every Republican present during the vote except Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who voted with Democrats in favor of demanding that the Trump administration release the Epstein files.

Khannaโ€™s amendment would have required U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to โ€œretain, preserve, and compile any records or evidence related to any investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of Jeffrey Epstein,โ€ and to โ€œrelease and publish any records or evidenceโ€ on a โ€œpublicly accessible websiteโ€ within 30 days.

Raju then played a clip of his exchange with Burchett, beginning with him asking, โ€œShould there be investigation or special counsel investigation?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know. Iโ€™m not an attorney. Find them guilty and hang them publicly. I mean, thatโ€™s not over the top either. Iโ€™m ready. Iโ€™m over it. It disgusts me. Iโ€™m big on clarity and transparency, and thatโ€™s a good reason people donโ€™t trust government, either party,โ€ Burchett replied.

โ€œBut you donโ€™t believe what the Justice Department is saying?โ€ pressed Raju.

โ€œI donโ€™t know. No, I donโ€™t. I think I donโ€™t. I donโ€™t trust them,โ€ Burchett concluded.

โ€œAnd that reference to the Justice Department memo that said that Jeffrey Epstein was indeed murdered and that there was no client list here, or that he was not murdered and that there was no client list, as some of those on the folks on the far right have suggested here. But thereโ€™s also no indication, Boris, that there will be an investigation into this on Capitol Hill. The Senate, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Jim Jordan, told reporters earlier today that he has confidence in President Trump and his handling of this matter,โ€ concluded Raju.

Watch:

On Tuesday, Rep. Tim Burchett just formally called on Oversight Chair James Comer to allow Ghislaine Maxwell to testify in front of Congress on the Epstein situation.

AG Bondi Reveals The Grim Reason She’s Carrying Fake Fentanyl

Attorney General Pam Bondi will stop at nothing to eradicate fentanyl from the streets.

On Wednesday, Bondi revealed that she carries around a vial of fake fentanyl to show that just a tiny amount can be deadly.

While appearing on Fox & Friends from the White House lawn, Bondi discussed the importance of recent drug trafficking busts in several states that turned up massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and guns.

To illustrate her point, she said she keeps a small bottle of โ€œfake fentanylโ€ to remind herself how just a tiny amount can prove deadly.

โ€œEach pill has the potential to kill a human being. A human life. An American life. Iโ€™ve been carrying around a little vial with fake fentanyl in it, the amount it takes to kill you, and it looks like a couple of grains of salt,โ€ Bondi told Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones.

On Tuesday, Bondi announced that authorities made one of the biggest fentanyl busts in U.S. history with the seizure 409 kilos of fentanyl pills and 11.5 kilos of fentanyl powder.

Bondi said that around 35 kilos of methamphetamine, 35 kilos of meth, 7.5 kilos of cocaine and 4.5 kilos of heroin were also seized along with $5 million in cash and 49 rifles and pistols.

Sixteen people were arrested in the operation. Six of the individuals are in the U.S. illegally, Bondi said. 

Bondi also teased a joint announcement with FBI Director Kash Patel of a major child exploitation ring bust later in the morning, while urging parents to take notice of their childrenโ€™s online habits.

โ€œYour kids have no right to privacy on the internet,โ€ she said, adding, โ€œChildren are getting recruited on the internet from being on games, social media or any social media platform. Parents, youโ€™ve got to monitor what your kids are doing because they think they are talking to other children and they are not. They are talking to monsters often.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™ve gotta be all in your childrenโ€™s business,โ€ Jones added.

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday that 205 alleged child sex predators who preyed on children online have been arrested in the last week. 

The arrests are part of a new joint operation by the Justice Department and FBI called “Operation Restore Justice” which saw 115 children across the country rescued in the process, Bondi and Patel said.

Bondi called the operation “historic and “unprecedented.”

“These depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison some life,” Bondi said at a press briefing.

“We will find you. We will arrest you, and we will charge you. If you are online targeting a child, you will not escape us. The FBI and the Department of Justice will come after you. And we will prosecute you.”

Cuban Regime Finally Loses a Longtime Fugitive: Joanne โ€œAssataโ€ Shakur Dies in Havana

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Havana, Cuba โ€” On September 25, 2025, Cubaโ€™s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Joanne Deborah Byron โ€” better known by her aliases Joanne Chesimard and Assata Shakur โ€” died in Havana at the age of 78 due to health complications and the rigors of old age.

This news brings to a close a decades-long saga in which a convicted murderer escaped justice, was shielded by a hostile foreign regime, and became a symbol for radical causes.


A Fugitiveโ€™s Origin: From Violent Crime to Escape to Cuba

In 1977, Chesimard was convicted on multiple serious charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and other felonies after a 1973 shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left State Trooper Werner Foerster dead.

She escaped prison in 1979, spent years underground, and resurfaced in 1984 under asylum in Cuba โ€” a regime that refused U.S. extradition requests.

For decades, the United States and New Jersey authorities pushed Cuba to hand her over. She carried the dubious distinction of being the first woman ever placed on the FBIโ€™s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with a $1 million reward for her capture.


A Death Without Accountability

Her passing in Havana presents a bitter irony: after decades of immunity facilitated by a foreign government, she dies free โ€” far from the prison cell where she was supposed to serve life in the U.S.

New Jersey officials immediately expressed outrage. They reiterated that justice was never fully served for Trooper Foersterโ€™s family.

Cubaโ€™s complicity in harboring Chesimard has long been roundly condemned by American leaders. Senator Marco Rubio recently denounced Havana for providing โ€œa safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States.โ€

What She Represented โ€” and What the U.S. Must Learn

For defenders of law and order, her story is a cautionary tale of diplomatic failure and ideological double standards.

  • Rule of Law Must Be Absolute: A convicted cop killer escaping and living with impunity is a stain on the integrity of the justice system.
  • Foreign Regimes Should Not Shield Criminals: Cubaโ€™s refusal to extradite Chesimard fashioned her into a political symbol, rather than merely a criminal. That sets a dangerous precedent.
  • Consistency in Foreign Policy Matters: If the U.S. does not forcefully demand accountability from regimes that shelter fugitives, it weakens its moral and strategic footing.

Now that she has died abroad, the question of bringing her remains home may arise. But more importantly, the memory of Trooper Foerster โ€” his sacrifice and service โ€” must remain central. And the mission remains: to hold foreign governments accountable when they interfere with American justice.

Escaped Louisiana Inmate Releases Video Pleading With Trump For Help: Watch

Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A desperate plea for help…

The man identifying himself asย Antoine Massey, one of 10ย escapees fromย the Orleans Justice Center (OJC) last month, claimed he was โ€œlet outโ€ โ€” and showed papers to the camera in a viral video supposedly backing up his story. The men fled the jail through an opening behind a toilet. Graffiti was left near the point of escape that read, โ€œTo Easy LoL.โ€

Eight of the 10 men have been apprehended by authorities.

โ€œThey say that I broke out,โ€ he said. โ€œI didnโ€™t break out. I was let out.โ€

Massey claimed he has a signed affidavit clearing him of an assault charge, alleging the person who accused him of the assault swore previous statements given were false.

โ€œIf the individual depicted in the video is indeed Antoine Massey, we strongly urge him to come forward and turn himself in to the proper authorities,โ€ the Orleans parish sheriffโ€™s office said in a statement about the video. โ€œCooperating with law enforcement is in his best interest and may help avoid additional charges. It is important that justice is served appropriately and that due process is followed.โ€

Massey has a history of being on the run. According toย NOLA.com, Massey, 32, has made multiple escape attempts from detention centers dating back to 2007 when he was a minor.

Massey also sought help from rappers likeย Lil Wayneย andย Meek Millย when heโ€™s back in โ€œcustody.โ€ He denied allegations of threatening a maintenance worker as part of the latest escape. There is a $50,000 reward being offered for information leading to Masseyโ€™s arrest.

โ€œIโ€™m saying people that been through the system that know itโ€™s corrupt. Lil Wayne, Donald Trump, please, Iโ€™m asking for help. You know what Iโ€™m saying?โ€ he said.

Man Indicted In Arizona Tesla Dealership Fire

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An Arizona man could face multiple decades in prison and more than $1 million in fines for allegedly torching a Tesla Cybertruck in Arizona.

Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, was indicted this week on five felony counts ofย malicious damageย to property used in interstate commerce. Authorities have alleged that Moses used gasoline and a starter log to try to set the dealership and three Tesla vehicles on fire on April 28, amid a wave of retaliation against tech billionaire and Tesla CEOย Elon Muskโ€™sย involvement in the Trump administration.

The Department of Justice, in a news release announcing the federal juryโ€™s indictment of Moses, shared photos of a burned-out Cybertruck that exploded during the attack.

According to local media reports, the suspect spray-painted graffiti on the side of the building that misspelled the word โ€œTHIEF.โ€

Mesa Police arrested Moses less than a mile away from the Tesla dealership shortly after the fire started, and he was wearing the same clothes as the person seen in surveillance footage pouring gasoline on the building. Officers also allegedly found a hand-drawn map in Mosesโ€™s pocket that had the letter โ€œTโ€ marking the dealershipโ€™s location.

โ€œThere is nothing American about burning down someone elseโ€™s business because you disagree with them politically,โ€ Timothy Courchaine, the interim federal prosecutor for Arizona, said in a statement. โ€œThese ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.โ€

If convicted, each count carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Attorney Generalย Pam Bondiย said in a statement on Mosesโ€™s indictment that there would be โ€œno negotiatingโ€ on the charges.

โ€œIf you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,โ€ Bondi said.

Trump Mulls Arresting Bidenโ€™s Homeland Security Secretary: Watch

President Donald Trump holds a press conference with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Friday, June 27, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Trump said he is open to considering investigating and possibly arresting Biden-era Homeland Security Secretaryย Alejandro Mayorkas.

During a Tuesday press conference in Florida after a tour of a migrant detention center dubbed โ€œAlligator Alcatraz,โ€ Trump held a press conference alongside Florida Governorย Ron DeSantisย (R) and current Homeland Security Secretaryย Kristi Noem. The President was asked about people calling for the arrest of Mayorkas due to his handling of the southern border under former Presidentย Joe Biden.

NEW YORK CITY (September 11, 2022) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas lays flowers for USSS Master Special Officer Craig Miller and participates in the September 11th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, NY. (DHS photo by Sydney Phoenix)

โ€œI ran into former DHS Secretary Mayorkas and I asked him a couple of questions about his disastrous handling of the border. He didnโ€™t like my questions, but the number one question that I heard from people responding to my video was, โ€˜Why hasnโ€™t he been arrested yet?’โ€ The Blazeโ€™sย Julio Rosasย asked the president at Tuesdayโ€™s presser.

Trump blasted Biden for the last-minute pardons he handed out before leaving office. However, the President was unaware of whether Mayorkas received a Biden pardon. He did not.

โ€œWas he given a pardon, Mayokas? Was he not?โ€ Trump asked.

โ€œI donโ€™t believe so,โ€ Rosas said.

โ€œWell, Iโ€™d take a look at that one because what he did is itโ€™s beyond incompetence. Something had to be done. Now, with that being said, he took orders from other people, and he was really doing the orders. And you could say he was very loyal to them because it must have been very hard for him to stand up and sit up and, you know, talk about what he allowed to happen to this country and be serious about it. So he was given orders. If he wasnโ€™t given a pardon, I could see looking at that,โ€ Trump said.

The president was then reminded that the House of Representativesย votedย to impeach Mayorkas, though the effort never made it anywhere in the Senate. The vote in the House to impeach Mayorkas was over โ€œwillful and systemic refusal to comply withโ€ immigration laws.

โ€œHe was impeached, but yeah, it was just a fake impeachment. It was a fake impeachment. But why donโ€™t you take a look at it? I think he was so bad. They were all so bad, look, it was the worst president in the history of our country,โ€ Trump said.

Trump’s remarks against Mayorkas come hours after the President floated potentially deporting billionaire Elon Musk back to South Africa.

โ€œWeโ€™ll have to take a look,โ€ Trump said. โ€œWe might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon! Wouldnโ€™t that be terrible?โ€

Watch:

After a brief ceasefire between the president and his former DOGE lieutenant, the war of words has ratcheted up again over the past 24 hours โ€” with Musk revving up his criticism of the Trump-backed โ€œBig, Beautifulโ€ budget bill. Musk, in a Monday post on X, denounced the legislation and floated the idea of forming a new political party.

Biden Calls To ‘Lock Up’ Trump

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Image via Pixabay

Yikes…

During a Tuesday visit to New Hampshire, President Joe Biden put this foot in his mouth once again.

During the campaign stop for Kamala Harris, the President called for his predecessor to be “politically” locked up while arguing a second Trump administration poses a threat to democracy.

The president was in Concord for an official event to highlight his administration’s efforts to lower health care costs and prescription drug prices. Minutes later, speaking at a political gathering at the New Hampshire Democratic Party headquarters, Biden was reiterating his longstanding argument that GOP nominee former President Trump, if re-elected, would be a threat to the nation’s democracy.

“Our democracy is at stake,” he said. “Think about it. Think about what would happen if Donald Trump wins this election.”

Biden then said “I know this sounds bizarre. It sounds like if I said this five years ago, you’d lock me up. We got to lock him up.”

But the president appeared to instantly catch himself, adding “politically lock him up. Lock him out. That’s what we have to do.”

“Lock her up” was a regular chant by Trump supporters during the former president’s 2016 campaign, as he criticized Democratic presidential nomineeย Hillary Clintonย as being corrupt.

Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed in a statement that “Joe Biden just admitted the truth: he and Kamalaโ€™s plan all along has been to politically persecute their opponent President Trump because they canโ€™t beat him fair and square. The Harris-Biden Admin is the real threat to democracy. We call on Kamala Harris to condemn Joe Bidenโ€™s disgraceful remark.”

Trump Issues Pardons To 5 Former NFL Stars

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On Thursday evening, President Trump issued pardons to five former NFL players.

White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson announced this week that several former professional football players have been granted presidential pardons, underscoring what the administration described as the power of redemption and second chances.

Among those granted clemency were Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry and the late Billy Cannon.

โ€œAs football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,โ€ Johnson wrote in a post on X.

Johnson also said that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shared the news โ€œpersonallyโ€ with Newton, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Cowboys during the teamโ€™s 1990s dynasty.

Klecko, a former New York Jets standout and Pro Football Hall of Famer, pleaded guilty to perjury after lying to a federal grand jury investigating an insurance fraud scheme.

Newton, a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro offensive lineman, pleaded guilty to a federal drug-trafficking charge in 2001 after authorities found $10,000 in cash in his pickup truck and 175 pounds of marijuana in a vehicle traveling with him.

Lewis, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, pleaded guilty in 2000 to using a cellphone to attempt to facilitate a drug deal shortly after being selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Henry, a Pro Bowl running back who played for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine in connection with financing a drug ring that operated between Colorado and Montana.

Cannon, the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner at LSU who later starred for the Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders, admitted in the mid-1980s to his role in a counterfeiting scheme. He died in 2018. His pardon was granted posthumously.

Presidential Pardons and Clemency

Under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the president has broad authority to grant pardons and commutations for federal offenses. The power has long been used by presidents of both parties to extend mercy, correct perceived injustices, and offer individuals a second chance after they have served their sentences.

President Donald Trump made use of that authority throughout his first term, often highlighting cases he believed reflected excessive sentencing or personal rehabilitation. His clemency decisions ranged from high-profile political figures to criminal justice reform cases, including Alice Marie Johnson herself. Johnson, who had been serving a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense, was granted clemency by Trump in 2018 after serving more than two decades in prison. Her case became a symbol for advocates of criminal justice reform and second chances.

Since then, Johnson has played a visible role in clemency advocacy, working with the administration to review cases and elevate stories of individuals seeking pardons.

Trump Says DOJ Is Investigating Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump announced Monday on social media that the Justice Department is investigating Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), escalating a long-running clash with the progressive โ€œSquadโ€ lawmaker amid ongoing tensions in Minneapolis.

โ€œThe DOJ and Congress are looking at โ€˜Congresswomanโ€™ Illhan [sic] Omar, who left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars,โ€ Trump shared. โ€œTime will tell all. Thank you for your attention to this matter!โ€

Trump made the announcement early Monday as Minneapolis remained on edge after a chaotic weekend. Unrest intensified after a federal immigration agent fatally shot an armed anti-ICE protester during demonstrations opposing immigration enforcement efforts. Trump also said he is dispatching border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota.

The Truth Social post also pointed to broader concerns about fraud and misuse of taxpayer-funded programs in the state.

Trump added that a major investigation into the โ€œmassive 20 Billion Dollar, Plus, Welfare Fraud that has taken place in Minnesotaโ€ has been launched, arguing that it is โ€œat least partially responsible for the violent organized protests going on in the streets.โ€

Omar Responds, Calls Trumpโ€™s Claim a โ€œDeflectionโ€

Omar quickly pushed back, accusing Trump of using her as a political distraction.

In response, Omar posted on social media: โ€œSorry, Trump, your support is collapsing and youโ€™re panicking. Right on cue, youโ€™re deflecting from your failures with lies and conspiracy theories about me. Years of โ€˜investigationsโ€™ have found nothing.โ€

She added: โ€œGet your goons out of Minnesota.โ€

Omar has been one of the loudest critics of immigration enforcement under Trump and has accused ICE of carrying out a โ€œterror campaign.โ€ She also claimed a federal agent โ€œmurderedโ€ Renee Good, an anti-ICE activist who was shot and killed by a federal immigration agent after she allegedly drove her car toward him.

DHS Secretary Noem Praises Homan Deployment

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday that sending Tom Homan to Minnesota will bring โ€œpeace, safety, and accountabilityโ€ to Minneapolis as federal authorities dig deeper into suspected fraud and expand enforcement operations.

โ€œThis is good news for peace, safety, and accountability in Minneapolis,โ€ Noem wrote on X.

โ€œI have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our teamโ€” his experience and insight will help us in our wide-scale fraud investigations, which have robbed Americans, and will help us to remove even more public safety threats and violent criminal illegal aliens off the of [sic] streets of Minneapolis,โ€ she added. โ€œWe continue to call on the leadership in Minnesota to allow for state and local partnership in our public safety mission.โ€

Trump-Omar Feud Reaches New Level Amid Minnesota Immigration Crackdown

Trump and Omar have been feuding for years, but their confrontation has intensified in recent weeks as the Trump administration surged immigration enforcement resources into Minnesota. Trump has sent 3,000 immigration agents to the state, with Minneapolisโ€”represented by Omarโ€”receiving special focus.

The president has also highlighted a series of fraud scandals in Minnesotaโ€™s social service system, with several cases drawing scrutiny for alleged ties to networks operating within Somali American communities.

Last week, Trump again targeted Omar personally, accusing her of benefiting financially during her time in Congress and demanding an investigation into her wealth.

โ€œCongresswoman Ilhan Omar is worth over $30 Million Dollars,โ€ Trump wrote on Truth Social. โ€œThere is no way such wealth could have been accumulated, legally, while being paid the salary of a politician. She should be investigated for Financial and Political Crimes, and that investigation should start, NOW!โ€

Financial Disclosures Raise Questions as Trump Points to Wealth Claims

While Trump claimed Omar is worth more than $44 million, Omarโ€™s official financial disclosures suggest a smallerโ€”but still significantโ€”range that critics argue deserves scrutiny.

In a May 2025 financial disclosure, Omar listed two large assets tied to her husband, whom she married in 2020. One is a winery business valued between $1 million and $5 million, and the other is a venture capital firm valued between $5 million and $25 million. Based on the valuations, Omar and her husband have a net worth between $6 million and $30 million, minus liabilities, such as Omarโ€™s student loan debt of between $15,000 and $50,000 that she disclosed on a 2024 form.

Members of Congress are required to file annual financial disclosures designed to promote transparency and reduce corruption. The disclosures typically report ranges of asset values, rather than exact dollar figuresโ€”meaning a lawmakerโ€™s true net worth can be difficult to pinpoint from public documents alone.

Still, Trump and his supporters argue that Omarโ€™s reported rise in wealth should be investigated, especially given her vocal role in shaping federal policy debates and her influence within the Democratic Partyโ€™s activist wing.

Trump Administration Moves To Deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia – To Uganda

Gage Skidmore Flickr

New court filings reveal that the Trump administration is threatening to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda โ€” a move his attorneys describe as coercive. Abrego, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year, declined a plea deal tied to human smuggling charges. In response, prosecutors withdrew an offer that would have allowed him to enter Costa Rica โ€” a safe, Spanish-speaking country where he’d face no detention after serving time โ€” and instead pursued deportation to Uganda.

His attorneys argue immigration authorities are essentially offering a forced choice: accept guilt and a path to Costa Rica, or refuse and risk being sent to Uganda, where his safety โ€” and legal protections โ€” are uncertain at best.

As The Hill reports:

Federal prosecutors on Thursday offered Abrego Garcia the option to โ€œlive freelyโ€ with refugee or residency status in Costa Rica after serving prison time forย federal human smuggling chargesย in exchange for a guilty plea, per his lawyers in the Saturday filings.

Abrego Garcia, who wasย mistakenly deportedย to a notorious prison in his native El Salvador, declined the offer on Fridayย to instead returnย to his family in Maryland. He had been imprisoned in a Tennessee jail.

After his return to Maryland, Abrego Garciaโ€™s attorneys were notified later in the day that he must report to an Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) field office in Baltimore on Monday โ€” and that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to deport him to Uganda.

โ€œThe only thing that happened between Thursdayโ€”Costa Ricaโ€”and Fridayโ€”Ugandaโ€” was Mr. Abregoโ€™s exercise of his legal entitlement to release under the Bail Reform Act and the Fifth Amendmentโ€ฆ,โ€ Abrego Garciaโ€™s defense team wrote.

Saturday’s revelations mark a significant escalation, as Uganda recently entered into a U.S. agreement to accept third-country deporteesโ€” but explicitly excluding individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors. Abregoโ€™s legal team contends that his criminal charges make such deportation both inappropriate and potentially dangerous.

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