Chief Justice John Roberts halts deadline for Trump admin to return man who was wrongly deported

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday granted an administrative stay that halts a lower court's looming deadline for the Trump administration to return a Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador.

The Trump administration has acknowledged the error in deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia to an El Salvadoran prison, and was ordered to return him by 11:59 p.m. on Monday. But President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to get involved.

Roberts in his ruling agreed to hold the deadline while the Supreme Court hears the matter, The Hill reported. The chief justice did not comment on the underlying merits of the case.

The ruling comes after U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the administration to return the man to the U.S., after the administration violated an immigration court order that Abrego Garcia not be deported to the prison. But Justice Department attorneys have argued that the administration cannot get him back because he was in another country.

Abrego Garcia was part of the hundreds of alleged MS-13 and Tren de Aragua members who were deported last month.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.