• A federal judge will hear arguments regarding the Trump administration's attempts to invoke state secrets privilege.
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador despite a U.S. court order prohibiting his removal.
• Arguments will focus on whether the government provided sufficient evidence of efforts to facilitate Garcia's return.
• Judge Paula Xinis expressed frustration over the government's lack of clarity during hearings.
• Abrego Garcia's attorneys claim the administration's invocation of privilege is intended to shield misconduct.

A federal judge in Maryland, Paula Xinis, will hear arguments on Friday regarding the Trump administration's claim of state secrets privilege in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported to El Salvador due to what the administration calls an "administrative error." Garcia's representatives assert that the administration has made minimal effort to comply with the court's order mandating his return, highlighting a significant disconnect between public statements from government officials and their actions in court, according to India Times, ABC News, and CBS News.

The judge's scrutiny arises from the administration's failure to provide specific evidence regarding Garcia's case handling, as noted in a court order directing both sides to clarify their positions on the government’s assertions of privilege. Garcia was previously shielded from deportation due to fears of persecution by gang-related violence in El Salvador, which contradicts the administration's claims linking him to the MS-13 gang, according to Newsweek and ABC News.