Top Trump administration officials have quietly reached out to El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, in recent days over the controversial detention of Kilmar Ábrego García, the man wrongly deported to one of the country’s harshest prisons, sources revealed. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s clear order demanding Ábrego García’s return to face proper immigration proceedings, the Trump team’s behind-the-scenes contacts have yielded no progress — with Bukele firmly rejecting their overtures.
According to insiders, these diplomatic moves appear more like an effort to build a paper trail rather than deliver results. The administration, which has publicly signaled little interest in bringing Ábrego García back, is reportedly seeking to cover its legal tracks ahead of upcoming federal court scrutiny. District Judge Paula Xinis has already warned that vague references, including Trump’s prior mention of the case in the Oval Office, are not enough to satisfy court demands.
Ábrego García, once held in El Salvador’s notorious Cecot mega-prison, has since been relocated. Still, the U.S. administration has dragged its feet on complying with the Supreme Court’s ruling — a delay seen by legal experts as a dangerous test of presidential authority versus judicial enforcement.
At a cabinet meeting this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio dodged questions about his reported direct talks with Bukele, quipping that he would “never tell” a judge about his diplomatic dealings. Trump himself, in a televised interview, downplayed his role, suggesting unnamed lawyers advised against ordering Ábrego García’s return. Legal analysts say this public deflection could backfire, exposing the Justice Department to contempt allegations and intensifying the legal storm brewing around the case.
In a closed-door session Wednesday, Judge Xinis rejected the Justice Department’s attempt to stall discovery, ordering officials to answer tough questions from Ábrego García’s legal team by Friday. She also cleared the way for expedited depositions of six senior administration figures — including ICE’s Robert Cerna and Homeland Security’s top lawyer Joseph Mazarra — signaling that the court is prepared to drill deep into the administration’s defiance.
As the legal pressure mounts, Trump’s handling of the Ábrego García case could become a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over executive power and judicial authority in America’s immigration system.
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