• Trump administration plans to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Eswatini, previously intended for Uganda.
• Garcia's attorneys claim he faces persecution, but ICE officials dismiss those fears.
• The administration has linked Garcia to the MS-13 gang, accusations his team denies.
• Legal battles are ongoing regarding his immigration status and asylum claim.
• Eswatini becomes the latest country proposed for his deportation despite his lack of ties there.

The Trump administration has announced intentions to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen, to Eswatini, previously known as Swaziland, after concerns were raised about his potential deportation to Uganda. This change, noted in an email from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, was made after Garcia expressed fears of persecution or torture in Uganda, claims that ICE deemed "hard to take seriously." The email affirmed, "nonetheless, we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini" according to ABC News, CBS News, and Reuters.

Garcia, who had previously lived in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador earlier this year despite a legal prohibition against such an action due to a credible fear of gang-related threats. His return to the U.S. in June was mandated after the Supreme Court intervened. Following his return, he faced human trafficking charges, which he has pleaded not guilty to. His case has highlighted the complexities of U.S. immigration laws and policies under the Trump administration, according to TRT World and BBC.

Eswatini has been described as a potential destination for Garcia amid broader U.S. immigration enforcement strategies. The country has reportedly accepted deportees from the U.S., described by officials as "criminal illegal aliens." Critics argue this trend could position Eswatini as a "dumping ground" for unwanted migrants, raising concerns over the human rights implications, according to Newsweek and Los Angeles Times.

The administration has indicated that if Garcia's immigration case is reopened, it will pursue his removal to El Salvador, invalidating the earlier protective order barring his deportation there. This adds further complexity to Garcia's ongoing legal battles as his attorneys seek to prove his eligibility for asylum based on his fears regarding deportation to Eswatini. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to assert that Garcia has ties to the MS-13 gang, an allegation his legal team vigorously denies, as reported by The Hill and CBS News.