SMART President Say Kilmar Abrego Garcia Must have His Day in Court

On Monday, Aug. 25, SMART apprentice Kilmar Abrego Garcia attended a mandatory check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Baltimore, where he was detained. In response, SMART General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement:

“On Monday morning, just days after he finally saw his family again, Kilmar followed the law by attending a mandatory check-in with ICE — and he was detained. According to his lawyers, ICE did not say why they are detaining Kilmar or where they are taking him.

“At SMART, we fight for the principle of due process every single day. We stand for the fundamental American value that all our members, and everyone in this country, are innocent until proven guilty. Let’s be very clear: Kilmar deserves his day in court. And if the government wants to send him to jail, they need to prove his guilt in court.  

“As of this morning, Kilmar has filed a lawsuit challenging his detention and deportation, ‘unless and until he [has] a fair trial in an immigration court, as well as his full appeal rights.’ We stand with Kilmar’s family and supporters in demanding he receive a fair trial and the chance to make his case in court.”

On Wednesday, US District Judge Paula Xinis ruled that Abrego Garcia must remain in the US until an evidentiary hearing on October 6 when Trump administration officials will testify about the government’s efforts to re-deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia.